Eclipse-RP: A new RP machine based on repeated deposition and machining

This paper presents a newly developed rapid prototyping (RP) machine. The design of this machine is based on the Eclipse parallel mechanism invented by the authors. One of the advantages of the Eclipse mechanism as compared to Gough-Stewart-based parallel mechanisms and applied to machining processes is that the spindle can tilt to 90 degrees and enables five-face machining without any set-up change of the workpieces. This advantage has been fully utilized in designing the new RP machine. The RP process consists of four stages: (1) post-machining feature extraction, (2) the slicing of the deposition feature, (3) repeated deposition and machining of each sliced layer, and (4) post-machining. Whole stages are executed in one machine structure without any set-up change. Using the Eclipse-RP and standard test parts, remarkable gains in productivity are obtained, namely 2.5 times reduction in time and 8 times reduction in cost.