RAPID PROTOTYPING WORK SPACE OPTIMIZATION

Rapid prototyping (RP) is becoming more affordable and the preferred m ethod because the technology is shifting from making only prototypes t o being used as a process for simultaneously producing multiple parts. The part placement in the RP systems is a time consuming and tedious task for the operators. This paper discusses component development in RP and part placement of models in the rapid prototyping machine work space to optimize utilization of RP systems. The algorithm proposed fi lls the work space with parts by partitioning the work volume into lay ers, and then filling these layers one after another.