Overview
Motorola Rapid Prototyping Services maintains a variety of RP processes to print the wide range of RP parts requested by our customers. We have eight different machines using four different printing technologies. This arrangement enables us to provide parts or models from a dozen different materials. It also gives us the ability to provide very fast turn-around, and provide parts from the materials that best match our customers' needs.
Stereolithography (SLA) and Objet are our primary RP processes. SLA provides good stiffness, sandability, and is typically the most efficient process for larger parts. Objet gives us high speed for smaller parts, and a range of materials including printable elastomers. Many of our customers like these elastomeric materials to quickly evaluate mounting pads, seals, keypads, gaskets, and other design concepts without the need for urethane casting or compression molding.
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| An SLA machine in Draw mode |
Our Plantation, Florida facility includes both our printing capability, and our post-processing staff, who can provide a variety of finishing, painting, and assembly options to meet our customers' needs.
Freeform Printing Capabilities
- Objet Eden Printers (3)
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- X-Y-Z Resolution: up to 600 x 600 x 1600 dpi
- X-Y-Z Printing Envelope: up to 20 x 16 x 8 inches
- Build speeds up to 0.5" / hour
- Poly-Jet, 2-material system
- Shore A 30,61,75 available
- Stereolithography (SLA) Machines (4)
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- X-Y-Z Resolution: up to 500 x 500 x 333 dpi
- X-Y-Z Printing Envelope: up to 20 x 20 x 15 inches
- Build speeds up to 0.375" / hour
- Laser-based, single material, liquid photopolymer
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| SLA parts in a post-process wash cycle |
- Enhanced flex / snap fit material behavior
- Rapid manufacturing resin available
- Thermojet
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- X-Y-Z Resolution: up to 300 x 300 x 666 dpi
- X-Y-Z Printing Envelope: up to 10 x 8 x 8 inches
- Build speeds up to 0.375" / hour
- Poly-Jet, single material, thermoplastic wax
- Glossy upward facing surfaces
- Can be used to prototype investment casting or other lost wax processes
- Data Requirements
- .STL binary file or Pro/E files preferred
- Click HERE for instructions on .STL file generation
- Post-Processing
- Removal of support materials
- Post-treatments include solvent wash, base wash, UV oven, IR oven
- Sanding / Finishing
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| Wax model of a Cordless Phone base station |
- Painting
- Assembly, including pinning of hinge points and gluing of threaded inserts
Speed and Quality
Our freeform personnel have a long history with these technologies and are skilled in both the front-end and back-end processing of parts and assemblies. They can often offer good advice on how to get the best performance out of your RP parts, and help ensure you make the best possible choices.
Because of our capacity, experience, skill level, and focus on process improvement, our turn-around on small to medium sized parts is extremely good. About 90% of orders received are shipped by express carrier or available for courier pickup the next day.
Additional Applications
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| A vehicle electronics housing from SLA |
In addition to being used directly as form-factor models or as engineering parts to evaluate design concepts, our freeform parts are also used extensively as intermediate steps in other processes. Finely finished SLA parts are often finished, painted and textured for use as masters in making silicone molds to cast urethane parts.
We often print Objet fixture nests for early product assembly, or print SLA molds for casting silicone parts. SLA parts can be machined to a high quality finish for appearance models, and, with the right resin, even used in outdoor and long-term installations. Our thermojet materials can even be used in investment, sand, or other lost-wax casting processes for metals.
