Talk:Solid freeform fabrication

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[edit] Accuracy figures

Can someone with the book used as a source please check the units on the accuracy figures? The figures of 0.003mm for SLA and 0.005mm for SLS are more than likely in inches. Rapid prototyping service bureaus cite promise somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.005" for SLA and 0.0075" for SLS, plus a correction factor for larger parts. If those figures are right, I'm not sure if they're from commercially available machines. --GargoyleMT 13:50, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

Sorry, this can safely be ignored. The figures for SLA and SLS are a little below what is advertised, but they're not unattainable. --GargoyleMT 17:24, 25 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Robocasting

I'm a little confused about how Robocasting represents a distinct category of freeform fabrication. They've got a cartesian positioning system to which they are currently attaching a syringe extruding, if I got it right from reading their literature, things like silicone elastomers and hot glue (maybe).

Casting is not exactly what they're doing. --Plaasjaapie 03:52, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

What devices claim to implement robocasting? It sounds like a better description of RepRap than FDM is (especially since FDM is trademarked by Stratasys). Classification is a bit hard in this area, since there are so many trademarks and patents. (Consider: are the Perfactory machines stereolithography?) --GargoyleMT 23:00, 2 January 2007 (UTC)

Both RepRap and the Clanking Replicator Project's Tommelise use Fused Deposition Modelling. While Stratasys may well hold a trademark for the name of the technology, their patent on FDM ran out in January 2007. Mind, it may be that RepRap and Clanking Replicator will have to rename the technology if Stratasys objects. It would probably be a good idea since RepRap and Clanking Replicator's FDM extruder (developed by Dr. Adrian Bowyer of Bath University), unlike Stratasys's operates in a room temperature working environment. Plaasjaapie 04:55, 9 March 2007 (UTC)

I was under the impression that all rapid-prototyping controlled by a computer (i.e. making them just as much a robot as Fab@Home), so why is there a distinct category just for Fab@Home? Seems like an attention-grab to me. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.173.137.164 (talk) 07:28, 9 December 2007 (UTC)