Abstract
Abstract
A product idea is normally transferred between designers and/or manufacturing engineers using digital models. Engineering analyses are directly connected with the presence of these models and only limited to virtual evaluations. For this reason, the use of real prototypes is very important in the first design stage in order to perform a deeper product evaluation. A very attractive way to update product designs while realizing prototypes is offered by the direct data communication between reverse engineering (RE) and rapid prototyping (RP). In this way the reproduction of aesthetic prototypes in different geographical positions becomes a key factor for successful competition. In this article, the authors investigate the efficiency of the data transfer between RE and RP systems in order to speed up product development without sharing design intent. A specialized software tool is described in order to perform product shape acquisition, elimination of redundant point cloud data, retriangulation of the point cloud and generation of a machine file for RP fabrication.