The development of Web-based e-business system for rapid prototyping manufacturing

Rapid prototyping (RP) is an automated manufacturing process that quickly builds physical models from CAD files of 3D prototypes. An effective slicing algorithm is necessary for rapid prototyping system. The bucket sorting algorithm is used in the slicing pre-processing for enhancing the search speed. The slicing time ratio can reduce to near 25% with 5 buckets according to the simulation results. The main objective of this paper is to develop Web-based automated RP system provides consumer the convenience of distance manufacturing without owning an expensive RP machine. We take advantage of the Internet technology to combine product quotation interface and on-line remote monitoring system into a Web-based automated RP system. The framework of Web-based thermal extrusion based RP system is divided into three parts: customers ' data management, administrators ' data management, and product quotation system. The product quotation system supplies an on-line automated cost estimation related to the option of materials, manufacturing time and RP machines before RP part being manufactured. The customer could preview simulation result of the tool path planning of 3D CAD files. If the customer satisfies the quotation of RP part, he could send a 3D CAD model (STL file) via the Internet to the RP Web server. After finishing the post processing process (slicing, tool path planning and motion code generation), the RP part can be manufactured in our RP machine. During manufacturing, the customer can watch a live image of RP part via Web, and monitor the RP machine to build up a physical model by way of the CCD camera until completing.