Printer Friendly
Email a Friend
Get up to speed with rapid manufacturing (and focus on the fine detail of micro machining)
20 Aug 2008
Registration is now open for TCT 2008, the only UK event focused on rapid product development and rapid manufacturing technologies. The event takes place on 21 and 22 October at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, and is joined by a new sister event – MM Live – that concentrates on the fast-moving and upcoming area of micro manufacturing.
Free of charge seminar sessions will take place on both days of the show, these seminars will be held in purpose-built theatres within the exhibition halls and will cover topics such as ‘Introduction to rapid technologies’, ‘Rapid machining technology for the jewellery industry’ , and Technology overview of micro manufacturing’. For more information and registration visit www.tctshow.com and www.micro-show.com
Exhibitors at TCT include:
Midas Pattern Company, a specialist in low-volume precision polyurethane moulding, is showcasing its new moulding process, FLEXrim™, for the rapid prototyping of high quality, heavy section, “rubber” type mouldings.
FLEXrim™ uses an enclosed mould process to prototype large items such as floormats, bumpers, infills and over-mould applications, quickly and cost effectively. The flexible mouldings can weigh up to 30kg, in sizes up to 2m x 1m. Undercuts and wall thickness from 6mm to 25mm, can be accommodated and mouldings can be painted to replicate in-mould textures.
Protool Manufacturing can supply rapid aluminium tooling for injection moulding in as little as two days from receipt of CAD data. Its capabilities range from building SLA models and producing silicone tools for polyurethane cast/moulded parts through to producing rapid tools for prototype or low volume production. It can also offer high volume tooling from partners in low cost economic regions.
Silverarm can simulate the physics of mechanical, structural, thermal and flow to tell you how strong, hot, cold, or aerodynamic a product will be in use. With fixed prices and short lead times it can help you to incorporate analysis and simulation into a customer’s development process and guide them to successful products that work right first time. It also offers a materials selection and sourcing service to support design for manufacture.
3T RPD Ltd is one of the UK’s largest Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) providers and is pioneering the supply of metal parts using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS).
These technologies enable the cost-effective, fast and extremely accurate production of aesthetic models, functional prototypes and low volume production components, with out the investment of time and money required for conventional tooling. Durable and complex parts are bringing the reality of rapid manufacturing to many customers. With the option to incorporate small design variations into every part, ‘Mass Customisation’ is also possible, particularly within the Medical and Dental markets. The reduction in leadtimes opens up new opportunities for custom devices and bespoke applications.
Materialise has one of the largest rapid prototyping and low volume production capacities in Europe. A wide variety of samples will be on display ranging from a huge SLA model through to small detailed SLS components, Objet models, FDM models, vacuum castings and injection moulded components, all with a wide range of finishes.
Strand7 is an affordable FEA system designed for Windows. It is used for mechanical, civil/structural, marine, biomedical and aeronautical applications - over 3000 sites worldwide. Strand7 appeals to large multi-office companies as well as independent engineers and industrial designers.
Images for this article - click to enlarge
Unless otherwise stated, all images copyright © Mercator Media 2008. This does not exclude the owner's assertion of copyright over the material.
