The term rapid manufacturing (RM) refers to the generation of production components either directly on an rapid production machine or as part of the process chain, using similar technologies as known for rapid prototyping. The idea is to produce finished manufactured parts, not prototypes. The benefits of RM over many conventional production processes are easy to appreciate -- it completely removes the expensive process of producing tooling. In principle, parts can be manufactured as soon as the design process has been completed and changed at the touch of a button. This makes RM the perfect manufacturing technology for mass customization in many areas.
But until we are at this state, there are still many steps to go. Most of today's applications involve relatively small quantities of (small) parts. In fact, Terry Wohlers, a leading rapid manufacturing expert, states that it is unlikely that RM will ever reach the production capacity of processes such as injection molding, die casting, or sheet metal stamping. For many mass customization companies this may not matter. Nevertheless, for most organizations RM is still seen as science fiction.
This is why two European research organizations, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft from Germany and TNO from the Netherlands, have initiated the Rapid Manufacturing Platform, an open collaboration platform on the internet to foster exchange of information and knowledge on RM.
Companies and other organizations are invited to visit this virtual counter for all kind of information regarding RM. The website contains publications, case studies and scientific papers to show RM capabilities. There is also a forum to raise a question or start a discussion with experts in the field. The forum is coordinated by Anton Gerrits from TNO [Anton.Gerrits AT tno.nl]. He invites managers and scientist alike to use this forum and contribute with their own material.
Have a look at http://www.rm-platform.com
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