Rapid Prototyping and Engineering Applications: A Toolbox for Prototype Development (Dekker Mechanical Engineering)

More quality, more flexibility, and less costs seem to be the key to meeting the demands of the global marketplace. The secret to success in this arena lies in the expert execution of the critical tasks in the product definition stage. Prototyping is an essential part of this stage, yet can be very expensive. It must be planned well and use state-of-the-art rapid and virtual prototyping tools to accelerate the process. Emphasizing the important role of prototyping in product definition, Rapid Prototyping and Engineering Applications: A Toolbox for Prototype Development covers a wide spectrum of prototyping tools with over 400 figures that give you instant access to the concepts. The book discusses engineering procedures and the application of modern prototyping technologies, such as Rapid Prototyping (RP) and Virtual Prototyping (VP), that quickly deliver new products with lower costs and higher quality. Extensive examples and case studies make the author’s delineation of industrial practices easy to grasp. Practice exercises in each chapter develop problem-solving techniques and coverage of state-of-the-art RP technologies provides modern prototyping knowledge. And although the book highlights RP technologies extensively, it also explores other prototyping tools and methodologies, setting it apart as one of the few resources to cover both. It delineates the technologies required for well-planned prototyping that not only save money but decrease time to market.