For what it’s worth…I, too, am using Autocad Release 12,
doing (and learning) drafting and computer graphics as an
addition to sculpture and livlihood. A new and interesting
tool. And a very long road indeed.
We touched briefly on stereo lithography in school. Only
know of its industrial use to date, partly due to the
extreme expense. Large part of that would be drafting the
idea, which would include the language for the mechanics.
(CAD/CAM). Could do that yourself to save money. What you get
in the end is a prototype or model made from a rubber-like
(photopolymer) material…a “rubber” stamp is made from a
photopolymer material (light sensitive). Lasers shoot light
into a vat of this material according to your instructions
on disc. Various tests can be done on your model, appropriate
changes made on disk and new model manufactured. Benefit to
industry is expediency. Profits to offset cost come from mass
production of the final prototype. Only know of smaller proto-
types being made which have particular problems, e.g., with
aerodynamics or with having very close tolerances. Pretty
amazing stuff.
Susan
