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much more time than CNC for volume production; another is that compared with cutting
ofT material in C C, casting can save material. However, both ofthe casting and C IC
technologies take a long processing time, which is inconvenient for a rapid propeller·
testing requirement. This is a real problem when the actual perfonnance has yet to be
tested and the design is not entirely finalized. Rapid prototyping is a much faster and
cheaper fabrication technology for rapid product development.
2.6.2 Rapid Fabrication Processes
In the late 1980s, the first technique for rapid prototyping became available, and was used
to produce models and prototype parts. Rapid prototyping (RP), using additive techniques
for thc automatic construction ofphysical objccts directly from three dimentional CAD
data, can significantly reduce the time for the product development cycle and improve the
final quality ofthe designed product [32]. A large number ofprototyping tcchnologies are
available in the markctplace, such as, selective laser sintering (SLS), fused deposition
modeling (FDM), stercolithography (SLA), Laminated object manufacturing (LOM),
Solid Ground Curing (SGC) and 3D printing (3DP) [33]. Each prototyping technology
uses specific materials and techniques to manufacture parts. Selecting the appropriate
technology for RP fabrication depends on the desired accuracy and material requiremcnts
ofthe component being produced. Table 3 shows the material for each prototyping
technology.
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