History Of CAD in South Africa

History Of CAD in South Africa

As with all nations, South Africa (RSA) has a unique set of circumstances and challenges. Emerging from economic isolation and stagnation, South Africa has some highly developed regions but also some pockets of poorly developed infrastructure. Therefore, developing countries can learn from the way it has sought to modernise its industries and to look for guidance. In relation to technology, South Africa has embraced rapid prototyping (RP) as a method of revolutionising its industry. According to du Preez et al., (2006), the first RP systems were installed in South Africa in 1994. Since then, its uptake has advanced rapidly.

The use of RP and related technologies, such as computer aided design (CAD) and rapid tooling (RT) has grown rapidly in the RSA. Between 2005 and 2006, the total number of RP machines installed doubled (Wohlers, 2006, 2007). Growth slowed down between 2007 and 2008 to around 24% and 21% respectively (Wohlers, 2008, 2009). In recent years, RP and RT technologies have been joined by AM as designers began to embrace the advantages that could bring geometric freedom in small batch production. A key enabler for the uptake of AM has been the broadening of the technologies available, such as Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) which was introduced to the Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State in 2006. Practitioners and researchers have been pushing boundaries every year, with new developments and case studies being reported. Although all of the major universities have a strong presence in manufacturing research, AM-related research is being driven by a minority (39%), whilst some more have AM facilities used to support other manufacturing research, giving a total of 48% of universities having AM facilities in-house.

Figure 1  Basic 3D Printing Machine

The rise of 3D printers has seen a wide variety of industries becoming involved in additive manufacture, probably as a result of South Africa’s National R&D Strategy which has attempted to draw SMMEs (Small, micro and medium-sized enterprises) into the country’s Innovation network. This trend illustrates that technology transfer programmes from universities to industry with government support have paid off.

Whereas more universities in South Africa are becoming involved in RP/AM research, the University of Stellenbosch and the CUT are still the current leaders. Research has been focused towards new materials and improving machine accuracy. Research teams have also investigated novel industrial applications where little or no previous research had been done.

Medical applications involving the use of RP techniques have advanced within South Africa through a combination of CT and MRI scanning, reverse engineering, RP/AM and computer numerical control (CNC) machining. Collaborative development work between the CUT and a team of surgeons and biomedical engineers have resulted in several innovative projects. They include patient-specific X-ray shielding masks (de Beer et al, 2005b), customised manufacture of medical prosthetics (Truscott et al, 2007), elbow implants fabricated using CNC (Figure 5) and cranial implants produced directly out of Titanium alloys using Selective Laser Melting at CUT, as reported by Drstvensek, et al. (2009).

For medical applications, RP technologies were used because of the relatively low mechanical stresses presented and also because of the high aesthetic demands that were required. Current research is now focused towards Direct Laser Sintering of Titanium that would yield benefits in terms of material utilisation, optimised geometry and reduced lead-time. Another area of research developed from a collaborative partnership between CUT and Loughborough University in the United Kingdom concerned the application of customer interaction with 9 functional prototypes (CIFP). It saw the development of a new range of motion analysis accessories produced directly from Laser Sintering.

The use of RP technologies have increased the fidelity of physical models in terms of aesthetics, ergonomics and functionality. The results have facilitated greater customer participation during product development and allowed ideas to be tested to reduce the risk of failure in the market (Campbell et al, 2007).

Figure 2 3D Printed prosthetic

The increasing choice of materials available has positively influenced industry‟s acceptance of AM, According to Professor Dimitri Dimitrov, Head of the University of Stellenbosch’s Laboratory for Rapid Product Development (LRPD), the use of technologies such as 3D printing is cost-effective, versatile, fast and easy to operate (Dimitrov, 2006). In addition, its accuracy, strength, surface finish, build speed and cost, allow a good price to performance ratio. The findings are in-line with Haskins (2008) who also reported that digital technologies integrated with 3D printing enable a fast, affordable way to produce physical prototypes directly from CAD data.

Figure 3 Materials

South Africa‟s technology transfer strategy has been generally successful with more companies embracing RP/AM technology and buying machines. Indeed, the growth of RP purchases within industry is now well above that seen in academia (de Beer, 2008). Most of these have been 3D printers but some high end systems have also been purchased. At the same time, the growth in the use of digital tools such as CAD and RP software is evidenced by increased system sales, as seen by Materialise for their offerings. Further growth in the use of CAD could be expected if its use within South African schools become mainstream. This is one of the aims spearheaded by the DesigNation initiative launched in 2005 by the National Product Development Centre (NPDC) of the CSIR. However, the NPDC ceased to exist due to internal restructuring of the CSIR, and the initiative continued with only limited success until 2007.
   

Piece 1

Process

The Design Process and how I got here.

After exploration of both my concept and my theme, the process of creating design ideas then came with a few lumps and bumps in the road, but things slowly started to develop. below are just a few scamps of how and the way in which I originally planned to take my first piece.

Figure 1 design development.

I then took it to CAD to see if this could work. I stumbled across a few technical and aesthetic problems but explored it further in my portfolio.

Figure 2 design development.

Figure 3 Further exploration.

The Manufacturing Process

Once I had my CAD completed it was easy to do an exploded technical drawing of each individual component.

In the figures below you see that for the pierced parts I had just placed the CAD drawing on top of the plate using double sided tape and then proceeded to drill and pierce them accordingly. 

 Figure 4 five individual components.

Figure 5 Single pierced plate. Figure 6 Stacked flat pierced plates.

After concluding that this design was too flat or 2D, further alterations were made to the design in order to volumize this ring, however still keeping it as a stack ring.  

 Figure 7 separated stacked ring. Figure 8 Stacked flat ring.

The process is yet far from over, a lot still has to be done.

Time Crunch

3.. 2.. 1.. Set.. Go.. Finish..

The days seem to go faster than they did before, despite keeping busy and making sure i dont lag behind with my own deadlines the days are disappearing, one day im still thinking of the design and next thing i know that piece is about to be due. understanding my capabilites and my time management need to come into play and rather sooner than later.

My time is of the essence there isnt even time to even stress about the lack of time we have, and somewhere between the design, the theory and the manufacture there is minimal sleep.

As much as as the lessons are appreciated and are needed in the long run. The weekend classes are bound to take a slight toll on my design and theory, and I am set with the struggle of having to reshuffle my time accordingly once again. Seems like there will always be a rush. 

There is just not enough hours in a day anymore..

My Design Process

The struggles, The fights and where I am now.

It didn't just happen over night, a process that took months to decipher and I am still in the process of seeing what it all could transpire to.

After many sleepless nights last year trying to figure out what it would be that I would be focusing on and how I would go about it. I had finally thought I knew what I wanted to do and exactly how I would go about it, I had this perfect idea about how it would all work out. 

But did it go that way? No, it went nothing according to plan (that's not necessarily a bad thing). After further research on my theme and what I aim to communicate, a slow development of a new and improved concept was surfacing.

My struggle however was far from over. I was stuck, a design block if you would call it that, my brain just could not go further then the geometric shapes from the crystal structures which at first easily lent hand to the concept, however those are not jewellery pieces, those are just shapes; no specific relevance to jewellery pieces. It is only after the model piece is manufactured that further designs transpire. 

I was however set back slightly by outsourced 3D printing companies not only for a quote or for production time, but for them to communicate back to inform me that the material does however have design limitations too. As I aim to write a dissertation proving that 3D printing materials such as resin and nylon can be viable for jewellery, this does propose as a limitation in my dissertation as well as a design limitation, and any further designs for pieces and components that need to be printed will have to take this limitation into consideration.

The struggle and fight continues..

Model Manufacture

The process of putting the piece together came across as easy at first, but after multiple trial and errors the discover of a more effective way came along.

This view is closest to the CAD rendering. Although the aim was for the "molecules" to appear at random and although done on CAD at random, during the manufacturing process to get it to be remotely similar to the CAD rendering the concentration and time were clearly a factor. as it took at least 3 times longer to do according the technical drawing then to apply at random as done with the other sides.



 In the process of cleaning the piece the pickle did not offer much cleaning power as there was a residue left from the wet tissue left in order not to melt any other parts of structure, therefor a brass brush did the work

 The Process of putting the structure together required a lot of up close detail. 

 The model piece as it is completed. to which further designs will transpire from.