Secondary Operations In Rapid Prototyping
Even when you get your prototyped object in place your task may not be fully accomplished. You may have to undertake several secondary operations. Such operations could be sanding, painting, filling, polishing or even infiltrating some secondary materials that will prevent the porosity in the object. You may also have to perform other operations before the part is really ready for use by the end user.
For instance when you are using some plastic prototype or some other such soft materials for rapid prototyping they have the advantage that they can be used directly. In any case they rarely require any massive secondary operation. In most cases they will carry on with minor operations carried out on them. Those parts that are made using the stereo-lithography are often not fully cured even when they are separated from the prototyping machines.
In such cases the final cure is often carried out using some devices such as the post-cure apparatus. The part is virtually given a bath there with UV light. Of course if you are using polymer then any excess polymer has to be removed from the part before they can be bathed with UV light. If there is any polymer left after the bathing they can be wiped out with paper towels.
When asked for same day shipping for custom designed parts it often becomes a problem if the parts were created using either the 3DP or the MJM models. These products could be fragile in nature and may not withstand the rough normal handling or shipping. A secondary operation is undertaken by filtering adhesive or wax in them so that they do not break in transit.
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