Research And Application Of RPM In Sculpture

Sculptures used to be created only by artists, but things have been different with the development of digital information technology and the emerging technology of Rapid Prototyping&Manufacturing (RPM). RPM featuring Addictive Manufacturing crashes with the traditional manufacturing technology featuring Subtractive Manufacturing. This thesis targets on whether they are going to blend together or impair each other in the crashes and also emphasizes the RMP application in sculptures.This dissertation elaborates on RPM’s basic principles, main process technologi-es and five key technologies, namely, Stereo Lithography Apparatus (SLA), Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), and Three Dimensional Printing and Gluing (3DP), in which it features FDM technology,3DP and RP-based Rapid Tooling (RT) that have a popular base for equipments and modeling materials. This thesis also analyzes on the modeling equipments and materials that qualifies for sculpture utilization. The methodology of this thesis goes in the following2steps. Step1, it analyzes and studies the steps like the design, manufacturing and molding in traditional sculpture manufacturing technologies, fully displaying the data of the traditional processing based on researches on2examples of20cm Statuette of Clay Figurine and200cm Garden Sculpture of Merlion. Step2, it applied RPM and RP-based Rapid Tooling (RT) to this two researches, using technologies studied in first half of this thesis, namely, FDM,3DP and Silicone Rubber Mold Casting. Finally, it tests, compares and analyzes data from these2steps.RPM is feasible in sculpture application. Through the research we learn that RPM can reduce the material and labor cost in traditional sculpture molding and shorten the manufacturing hours. It can also accomplish the accuracy and structure that manual processing cannot achieve, making custom-made sculptures possible, and liberate the artists’ imagination on designing and manufacturing.