Title: The development of desktop e-manufacturing system

Authors: Ren C. Luo, Jyh Hwa Tzou

Addresses: Department of Electrical Engineering, Intelligent Automation Laboratory, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Rd., Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan, ROC. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wu-Feng Institute of Technology, Chian-Kuo Rd., Sec. 2, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan, ROC

Abstract: Rapid Prototyping (RP) is an automated manufacturing process that quickly builds physical models from CAD files of 3D prototypes. The main objective of this paper is to develop web-based automated RP system, which provides customers the convenience of distance manufacturing without having an expensive RP machine. We take the advantage of the internet technology to combine product quotation interface, online remote monitoring system and order scheduling into a web based automated RP system. In the mean time, we developed three kinds of RP system: thermal extrusion based RP system; photomask-based RP system; metallic RP system, which demonstrated the various fabrication principles and options.

Keywords: rapid prototyping; web-based RP; e-manufacturing; order scheduling; product quotation; internet; distance manufacturing; remote monitoring; thermal extrusion; metallic RP; photomask-based RP; desktop RP.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2008.017482

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2008 Vol.14 No.1/2, pp.2 - 16

Published online: 12 Mar 2008 *

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