1. Rapid Prototyping in Japan

2. RP in Japan Japan has established its own association dedicated to the research and development of the country’s rapid prototyping technology. Japan has established its own association dedicated to the research and development of the country’s rapid prototyping technology.

3. RP in Japan The Association (RP Japan) was founded in 1993 to spread Solid Free Form Fabrication in Japan. The Association (RP Japan) was founded in 1993 to spread Solid Free Form Fabrication in Japan. The Association participants consist of suppliers, users and professionals who have interest in various rapid prototyping technology. The Association participants consist of suppliers, users and professionals who have interest in various rapid prototyping technology.

4. RP in Japan The Association is open to the public, and as of September 2003, the Association consisted of 20 suppliers,25 users and 8 academic researchers. The Association is open to the public, and as of September 2003, the Association consisted of 20 suppliers,25 users and 8 academic researchers. The Association aims at promoting propagation and R&D activities by enriching the symposia and various R&D committees. The Association aims at promoting propagation and R&D activities by enriching the symposia and various R&D committees.

5. RP in Japan For more than ten years now, RP Japan has been holding its rapid prototyping symposium twice, in spring and autumn, every year. For more than ten years now, RP Japan has been holding its rapid prototyping symposium twice, in spring and autumn, every year. This symposium serves not only as a venue for presenting new research, but also plays the important role of providing valuable information and know-how to all involved in RP. This symposium serves not only as a venue for presenting new research, but also plays the important role of providing valuable information and know-how to all involved in RP.

6. RP in Japan Their focus is not on originality but the sharing of interesting technologies and research themes. Their focus is not on originality but the sharing of interesting technologies and research themes.

7. RP in Japan Areas of Interest: Areas of Interest: 1. Novel rapid prototyping processes 1. Novel rapid prototyping processes 2. Novel applications and experiments 2. Novel applications and experiments 3. Advances in existing processes 3. Advances in existing processes 4. Advanced materials for RP 4. Advanced materials for RP 5. Process control, analysis and modeling 5. Process control, analysis and modeling 6. Precision and resolution in RP 6. Precision and resolution in RP 7. Rapid tooling and direct tooling 7. Rapid tooling and direct tooling 8. Case studies and management issues 8. Case studies and management issues 9. Worldwide RP trends and future prospects 9. Worldwide RP trends and future prospects 10. Applications and related topics of RP 10. Applications and related topics of RP

8. RP in Japan Another name for rapid prototyping is SFF (Solid Freeform Fabrication). Another name for rapid prototyping is SFF (Solid Freeform Fabrication). Japan is working almost exclusively with laser photolithography. Japan is working almost exclusively with laser photolithography.

9. The Exception The exception being the Kira company that uses the SAHP (Selective Adhesive and Hot Press Process). The process uses layers of paper that are cut and glued together. The exception being the Kira company that uses the SAHP (Selective Adhesive and Hot Press Process). The process uses layers of paper that are cut and glued together.

10. SFF The United States appears to be ahead in SFF technological innovations, while Japan and Europe focus on process improvements. However, these issues are currently the subjects of heated patent debates. The United States appears to be ahead in SFF technological innovations, while Japan and Europe focus on process improvements. However, these issues are currently the subjects of heated patent debates.

11. Labor Force Japan had skilled model makers 20 years ago that could make scale models overnight. The amount of skilled workers that can model prototypes quickly have fallen significantly and Japan has just recently become more involved in RP technology. Japan had skilled model makers 20 years ago that could make scale models overnight. The amount of skilled workers that can model prototypes quickly have fallen significantly and Japan has just recently become more involved in RP technology.

12. Statistics Representatives of a Japanese service bureau speculated to the JTEC/WTEC team that 10% of large Japanese companies own 3D CAD solid modeling software, and 1% know how to use it. Others estimate that 3% of Japanese designers can use 3D solid modelers. Officials at another service bureau told panelists that 80% of their customers supply CAD files, but the files are only in 2D. Generally, prototypes can be made in Japan quicker, cheaper, and more accurately by conventional machine shop practices if designs are supplied as 2D files. Only when parts are small, have complicated surfaces, and are designed in 3D CAD solid modeling can prototypes be built more quickly and less expensively by RP techniques. Representatives of a Japanese service bureau speculated to the JTEC/WTEC team that 10% of large Japanese companies own 3D CAD solid modeling software, and 1% know how to use it. Others estimate that 3% of Japanese designers can use 3D solid modelers. Officials at another service bureau told panelists that 80% of their customers supply CAD files, but the files are only in 2D. Generally, prototypes can be made in Japan quicker, cheaper, and more accurately by conventional machine shop practices if designs are supplied as 2D files. Only when parts are small, have complicated surfaces, and are designed in 3D CAD solid modeling can prototypes be built more quickly and less expensively by RP techniques.

13. Design Software There is an interest in Japan in finding easier methods for designers to build RP models without having to use full 3D solid modeling software. Most of the CAD programs in use in Japan are 2D, and the designs have to be translated into a solid modeling software file before fabrication can begin. This drives the cost of Japanese RP programs up. There is an interest in Japan in finding easier methods for designers to build RP models without having to use full 3D solid modeling software. Most of the CAD programs in use in Japan are 2D, and the designs have to be translated into a solid modeling software file before fabrication can begin. This drives the cost of Japanese RP programs up.

14. Cost In Japan, RP equipment equivalent to that available in the United States is considerably more expensive. Even cheap photocurable resin machines carry a price tag of $140,000 with software, and resins are much more expensive. In Japan, RP equipment equivalent to that available in the United States is considerably more expensive. Even cheap photocurable resin machines carry a price tag of $140,000 with software, and resins are much more expensive.  In comparison, machine tool centers in the same size class as an RP machine are less expensive than stereolithography units.

15. Maintenance Costs RP machines which use lasers incur high cost due to the fragile nature of the lasers. However, diode-pumped neodymium lasers with frequency triplers are expected to replace the failure prone argon lasers common in aging machines. Maintenance costs in Japan are comparable to those in the US RP machines which use lasers incur high cost due to the fragile nature of the lasers. However, diode-pumped neodymium lasers with frequency triplers are expected to replace the failure prone argon lasers common in aging machines. Maintenance costs in Japan are comparable to those in the US

16. Plastic Injection Molded Prototypes The Japanese service bureau Shonan Design has developed a technique for making injection mold cavities that can produce 200 injection molded parts in 2-3 weeks using Teijin Seiki's stereolithography units and glass-filled resin. However, accuracy is no better than ± 0.3 mm over the length of small parts (~12 mm) for up to 200 parts. The Japanese service bureau Shonan Design has developed a technique for making injection mold cavities that can produce 200 injection molded parts in 2-3 weeks using Teijin Seiki's stereolithography units and glass-filled resin. However, accuracy is no better than ± 0.3 mm over the length of small parts (~12 mm) for up to 200 parts.

17. JAPANESE METALS R&D By laser-cutting sheet metal and laminating the laser-cut sheets, Nakagawa was able to create three-dimensional metal structures in 1979. No Japanese programs in metals rapid prototyping R&D exist today. The Japanese focus seems to be on photopolymers because of the superior accuracy of those systems. By laser-cutting sheet metal and laminating the laser-cut sheets, Nakagawa was able to create three-dimensional metal structures in 1979. No Japanese programs in metals rapid prototyping R&D exist today. The Japanese focus seems to be on photopolymers because of the superior accuracy of those systems.

18. CNC vs. RP In Japan, there remains a broad propensity to compare RP to CNC; however, there are some exceptions. The tooling applications with filled resins underway at Teijin Seiki and Shonan Design certainly represent an approach that is going to mature and eventually catch on. Also, the tooling examples cited at INCS are excellent. To some degree, the Japanese reluctance to quickly change to RP technologies is due to their expert know-how and significant financial investment in numerical control machines: NC works well for them. In Japan, there remains a broad propensity to compare RP to CNC; however, there are some exceptions. The tooling applications with filled resins underway at Teijin Seiki and Shonan Design certainly represent an approach that is going to mature and eventually catch on. Also, the tooling examples cited at INCS are excellent. To some degree, the Japanese reluctance to quickly change to RP technologies is due to their expert know-how and significant financial investment in numerical control machines: NC works well for them.

19. References http://www.wtec.org/loyola/rp/toc.htm http://www.wtec.org/loyola/rp/toc.htm http://www.wtec.org/loyola/rp/toc.htm http://www.rpjp.or.jp/intro.html http://www.rpjp.or.jp/intro.html http://www.rpjp.or.jp/intro.html http://www.rpjp.or.jp/index2.html http://www.rpjp.or.jp/index2.html http://www.rpjp.or.jp/index2.html http://home.att.net/~rpml/jrps26.pdf http://home.att.net/~rpml/jrps26.pdf http://home.att.net/~rpml/jrps26.pdf http://www.wtec.org/loyola/rp/08_03.htm http://www.wtec.org/loyola/rp/08_03.htm http://www.wtec.org/loyola/rp/