Rapid prototyping principles and fundamntals

As we already know increase in the CAD/CAM/CAE technology, the new manufacturing technology has emerged known as Rapid prototyping.
There are basically three ways by which any product or component made by subtractive process, formative process and additive process.
1. Subtractive process: Machining like milling, turning, grinding, EDM, ECM etc in which we remove material from the blank.
2. Formative process: Bending, forging, drawing, extruding, injection molding, casting etc. to form the given material into desired shape.
3. Additive process. This is new technology in which we add material to form 3D component. Rapid prototyping is the one of the additive process .

 Three basic steps of rapid prototyping :

1. generation of CAD model of the component to be made using any solid modeling software like Catia, Creo element/pro, solidworks, Maya, 3ds max.
2. Conversion of the CAD file into file format known as .STL(STereoLithography) which originates from 3d systems. The STL file approximates the surface of the CAD model by Polygons , the process is known as Tessellation.
3. A computer analyses an .STL file and SLICES the model into cross sections. The cross sections are systematically recreated through solidification of either liquid, solid particles or powder.