3D Prototyping

While the LaserCAMM™ cuts in a two-dimensional path, final parts do not have the same restrictions. Stacking The simplest method of creating a 3D part form 2D-cut material is stacking. This method is frequently used in architectural applications where building facades are created using mixed materials, such as mat board scored with a brick pattern for the exterior, layered mat board for trim, and clear acrylic for windows. Each wall is then joined to its adjacent wall to form the final structure. Cross Sectional Prototyping More complex shapes can be created from a 3D-surfaced CAD file using LaserCAMM™’s proprietary CSP (Cross Sectional Prototyping) Software. This program essentially "slices" the part into sections, the width of slices selected by the operator. These individual sections are automatically numbered and holes can be created in the parts to insert rods for alignment. In this manner complex 3D shapes can be formed very quickly. Another feature of the CSP Software is the ability to slice the 3D part in two perpendicular directions with space between the slices. Slots allow the cross sections to interlock in an open cell framework, like an egg crate; and the final form can be filled with foam and then finished. This process can also be used to create molds for casting or forming parts.

Rapid Prototyping with LaserCAMM™

Rapid Prototyping has come to mean different things to different people. To some companies the priority is conceptual model design and to others it is high accuracy proof of fit. The same is true for choice of tools for these applications. For some the end product of prototyping is always similar, and so the process is well defined and consistent. For others flexibility is crucial. What LaserCAMM™ offers is not a tool to compete with those applications, where the end product is consistently well suited to such equipment as STL or LOM machines. "The customer that really appreciates our product is the one that needs flexibility," says Douglas Huynh, president of Laser Basics Inc. "We can produce 3D models or mold patterns using our CSP slicing software, or quick turn 2D parts in rigid or flexible materials over 2 feet by 4 feet and up to 1 inch thick. This versatility is critical today in a market that is constantly changing. We all need to keep our options open." The rapid prototyping techniques of LaserCAMM™ are intended for large projects such as interior and exterior models of concept cars, aerospace nose cones, wind tunnel models - projects that don’t lend themselves to conventional rapid prototyping methods.