Custom-Fit
Encyclopedia
Custom-fit is a broad term which could be defined as tailor-made. To this respect, mass customization
could be defined as a massive personalization or personalization for everybody.
In the development of the term, a customized product would imply the modification of some of its characteristics according to the customers requirements such as with a Custom car
. However, when fit is added to the term, customisation could give the idea of both the geometric characteristics of the body and the individual customer requirements (Tuck et al., 2006), i.e. the steering wheel of the Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso
.
Consequently, the Custom-Fit concept can be understood as the of offering one-of-a-kind products that, due to their intrinsic characteristics and use, can be totally adapted to geometric characteristics in order to meet the user requirements (Anton et al., 2006).
With a global approach to this new concept, the European industry sector could become a highly technical one, moving from a resource based manufacturing system to a knowledge based manufacturing system and from mass production
to individual production. This encourages the Lean Production
trend as established by Toyota, or in other words, an efficiency based production.
The research studies found in February 2008 on the subject are the following:
techniques with the ultimate aim of manufacturing products using CAM
techniques.
Although all these developments have been of great interest, the RM-processes have not fallen behind, due to improvement of new Rapid Prototyping Direct digital manufacturing techniques.
MPP aims to become the equivalent of a high speed 3D-printer that produces three-dimensional objects directly from powder materials. This technique is based on the process principles of xerographic printers, (for example laser -or LED printer
s) that combine electrostatic printing with photography. The MPP process approach uses the same fundamental principles to build solid objects on a layer-by-layer basis. Layers of powder materials are generated by attracting different metal- and/or ceramic powders to their respective position on a charged pattern on a photoreceptor by means of an electrostatic field. The attracted layer is transferred to a punch and transported to the consolidation unit where each layer of part material is sintered onto the previous by pressure and heat. The procedure is repeated layer-by-layer until the three-dimensional object is fully formed and consolidated.
MPP has the ability to print different powders within the same layer and progressively change from one material to another, i.e. producing a functionally graded material. In addition to this, MPP uses external pressure to speed the densification process (sintering), which allows manufacturing with a wide range of materials and opens the possibility to produce unique material combinations and microstructures.
It has several print heads that produce continuous streams of material droplets at high frequency. The High Viscosity Inkjet Printing machine is also capable of printing multi-materials simultaneously and also enables the mixing and grading of materials in any combination that is desired. This will enable the manufacturing of products with two or more materials that are graded and there will be no distinct boundary between the materials. This will result in products with unique mechanical properties.
Dr. Michiel Willemse who is leading the project says, “The process is unique in its capability to print highly viscous, UV curable, resins. Material formulations with viscosities up to 500 mPa•s (at ambient temperature) have been printed successfully. This offers the opportunity to print products with unequalled mechanical properties when compared to any other printing systems”.
Mass customization
Mass customization, in marketing, manufacturing, call centres and management, is the use of flexible computer-aided manufacturing systems to produce custom output...
could be defined as a massive personalization or personalization for everybody.
In the development of the term, a customized product would imply the modification of some of its characteristics according to the customers requirements such as with a Custom car
Custom car
A custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission. Second, a custom car may be a personal "styling" statement, making the car look...
. However, when fit is added to the term, customisation could give the idea of both the geometric characteristics of the body and the individual customer requirements (Tuck et al., 2006), i.e. the steering wheel of the Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari....
.
Consequently, the Custom-Fit concept can be understood as the of offering one-of-a-kind products that, due to their intrinsic characteristics and use, can be totally adapted to geometric characteristics in order to meet the user requirements (Anton et al., 2006).
With a global approach to this new concept, the European industry sector could become a highly technical one, moving from a resource based manufacturing system to a knowledge based manufacturing system and from mass production
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
to individual production. This encourages the Lean Production
Lean manufacturing
Lean manufacturing, lean enterprise, or lean production, often simply, "Lean," is a production practice that considers the expenditure of resources for any goal other than the creation of value for the end customer to be wasteful, and thus a target for elimination...
trend as established by Toyota, or in other words, an efficiency based production.
Research
There are some studies referring to the positive impacts this concept would have on society:- Customised Motorcycle Seats (Ong et al., 2008)
- Orthopaedic Profession (Wagner et al., 2007)
The research studies found in February 2008 on the subject are the following:
- Customised Mortorcycle and Helmet (Tuck et al., 2007)
- Knee and Manxilo-facial Implants and Prosthetics Sockets (Dolinsek, 2007).
Data Capturing
The process starts with the capturing of data directly from the user by CADComputer-aided design
Computer-aided design , also known as computer-aided design and drafting , is the use of computer technology for the process of design and design-documentation. Computer Aided Drafting describes the process of drafting with a computer...
techniques with the ultimate aim of manufacturing products using CAM
Computer-aided manufacturing
Computer-aided manufacturing is the use of computer software to control machine tools and related machinery in the manufacturing of workpieces. This is not the only definition for CAM, but it is the most common; CAM may also refer to the use of a computer to assist in all operations of a...
techniques.
Process Design and Validation
- Converting scanned data directly and automatically into final models ready for printing: Digital Cad Approach and Hybrid Approach.
- Representing Structure for Functionally Graded Material:
- Interface Innerspace developed by TNO which integrates the RDT Centers in The Netherlands.
- Multi Phase Topology Optimisation, designed by FraunhoferFraunhoferFraunhofer, , may refer to:*Joseph von Fraunhofer , German physicist*Fraunhofer , a lunar crater*Fraunhofer Society , a large German research organization with 59 institutes throughout Germany...
(comparable to TNO in Germany). - Finite Element Representation Finite element analysis used by Materialise in Belgium.
- A rapid manufacturing interface called Slice Raster Inteface, also designed by Materialise.
Although all these developments have been of great interest, the RM-processes have not fallen behind, due to improvement of new Rapid Prototyping Direct digital manufacturing techniques.
Rapid Manufacturing Systems, Tools and Materials
- The Metal Printing Process developed by SINTEF in Norway, produces 3D products with metal powder with different graduation, sintered layer-by-layer.
MPP aims to become the equivalent of a high speed 3D-printer that produces three-dimensional objects directly from powder materials. This technique is based on the process principles of xerographic printers, (for example laser -or LED printer
LED printer
An LED printer is a type of computer printer. LED technology uses a light-emitting diode array as a light source in the printhead. The LED bar pulse-flashes across the entire page width and creates the image on the print drum or belt as it moves past....
s) that combine electrostatic printing with photography. The MPP process approach uses the same fundamental principles to build solid objects on a layer-by-layer basis. Layers of powder materials are generated by attracting different metal- and/or ceramic powders to their respective position on a charged pattern on a photoreceptor by means of an electrostatic field. The attracted layer is transferred to a punch and transported to the consolidation unit where each layer of part material is sintered onto the previous by pressure and heat. The procedure is repeated layer-by-layer until the three-dimensional object is fully formed and consolidated.
MPP has the ability to print different powders within the same layer and progressively change from one material to another, i.e. producing a functionally graded material. In addition to this, MPP uses external pressure to speed the densification process (sintering), which allows manufacturing with a wide range of materials and opens the possibility to produce unique material combinations and microstructures.
- The High Viscosity Inkjet printing developed by TNO has the capability of printing with one or more materials with graded structures in a single process using additive technology.
It has several print heads that produce continuous streams of material droplets at high frequency. The High Viscosity Inkjet Printing machine is also capable of printing multi-materials simultaneously and also enables the mixing and grading of materials in any combination that is desired. This will enable the manufacturing of products with two or more materials that are graded and there will be no distinct boundary between the materials. This will result in products with unique mechanical properties.
Dr. Michiel Willemse who is leading the project says, “The process is unique in its capability to print highly viscous, UV curable, resins. Material formulations with viscosities up to 500 mPa•s (at ambient temperature) have been printed successfully. This offers the opportunity to print products with unequalled mechanical properties when compared to any other printing systems”.
- The Plastic Powder Printing Process developed by The Monfort University in the United Kingdom is based on the concept of fusing layers of a wide range of plastic powders in the desired combination by laser printingPrintingPrinting is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
. PPP aims to develop the equivalent of a high speed laser printerLaser printerA laser printer is a common type of computer printer that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper. As with digital photocopiers and multifunction printers , laser printers employ a xerographic printing process, but differ from analog photocopiers in that the image is produced...
that produces three-dimensional 3D objects from plastic powder where powder is first deposited by means of laser printing /electrophotography technique and subsequently fused under infrared heating units to make solid layers. Layers are consolidated further to make 3D plastic objects. Various thermoplastic toners from standard engineering polymers like polyethylenePolyethylenePolyethylene or polythene is the most widely used plastic, with an annual production of approximately 80 million metric tons...
(high and low density), polypropylenePolypropylenePolypropylene , also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles , stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes...
, and polystyrenePolystyrenePolystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
have already been deposited using this technique and later fused with infrared rays to form the layers.