Integration of reverse engineering and rapid tooling in foundry technology

The aim of this work is to present some research and development made at Institute Superior Technique (IST) of Lisbon and at Institute Polytechnic of Leiria (IPLEI) in the application of 3D-digitising and propose some practical approaches to transform by reverse engineering (RE) methods, the point cloud obtained from an object surface during digitising processes in 3D-CAD surface or solid data to manufacture rapid tooling (RT) for foundry technology. The approaches presented are also fundamental to verify prototype's geometry for tooling and for modelling/simulation by finite element analysis (FEA), to assure the metrological accuracy of tooling geometry and optimisation of foundry process parameters. Based on four case studies presented, the paper will reach some useful conclusions for the appropriate application of 3D-digitising and RE to assist product development and RT in foundry processing technology, validating the accomplishment by the integration of these new methodologies and technologies in foundry technology. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.