The Significance of Rapid Prototyping to Innovation

Talk about Application of Rapid Prototyping Technology in Jewelry Design Briefly

With the development of science and technology, the application of computer technology has been widely used in our life, and the field of jewelry design is no exception. Laser welding, laser marking, numerical control processing, rapid prototyping and other technologies have made tremendous changes in jewelry design and processing. Among them, Rapid Prototyping Manufacturing (RPM), a high-tech manufacturing technology considered as a major achievement in the manufacturing field in the past two decades, has a particularly rapid development momentum. It not only improves the efficiency of jewelry design and processing, but also has a profound impact on jewelry design.

Rapid prototyping technology was born in the late 1980s. It is a part prototype manufacturing technology which integrates the latest achievements of mechanical engineering, CAD/CAM technology, reverse engineering technology, layered manufacturing technology, laser technology, numerical control technology and new materials. Generally speaking, rapid prototyping technology uses three-dimensional CAD data to stack layers of materials into solid prototypes through rapid prototyping machines. It is different from the traditional "removal" processing method. It uses a new "growth" processing method. Its basic principle is to decompose the complex three-dimensional processing into the superposition of simple two-dimensional processing, so it is also called "laminated manufacturing". It can automatically, directly, quickly and accurately transform design ideas into prototypes with certain functions or directly produce parts, thus providing an efficient and low-cost means for prototyping and verification of new design ideas. There are more than ten kinds of rapid prototyping methods, including SLA, SLS, LCM and FDM.

At present, fused deposition moulding (FDM) and light curing (SLA) are widely used in the field of jewelry. Fused Deposition Molding (FDM) is a method that melts low melting point and low material, sprays out through the nozzle, controls the nozzle to move on the two-dimensional guideway by computer. The nozzle moves along the layered contour and solidifies the material to obtain a thin layer. Through the accumulation of different section contour layers, a three-dimensional solid model is finally formed. SLA uses liquid photosensitive resin as raw material. Under the control of computer, the ultraviolet laser scans the liquid resin point by point according to the contour track of the layered section of jewelry, which causes the resin thin layer in the scanned area to produce photopolymerization (curing) reaction, thus forming a thin section of jewelry. After the liquid photosensitive resin curing layer in a scanned area is completed, the worktable drops one layer. The cured resin surface is scanned and cured repeatedly after being coated with a new layer of liquid resin, so that each layer is adhered to each other repeatedly until the whole part is cured. Compared with traditional jewelry production methods, these technologies not only improve the efficiency of jewelry production, reduce the intensity of labor, but also further improve the accuracy of model plate producing. These advantages undoubtedly makes jewelry production better. Similarly, as an excellent jewelry work, from conception design to production completion, design is a particularly critical step. Today, rapid prototyping technology is popular, and it also affects the development of jewelry design in all aspects.

Give Jewelry Design More Material Selection Possibility

In the past, people used to think of gold, silver, gemstone and other materials in jewelry. With the development of technology, taking 3D printing in rapid prototyping technology as an example, the materials used include polymer materials, metal materials, ceramic materials and composite materials. Because of the relatively fine effect and low cost of 3D printing technology, and the unique texture and plasticity of the material presented by this technology, many jewelry artists and designers now choose to use polymers commonly used in 3D printers as design materials. For example, Svenja John, a pioneer artist in the use of digital technology, has studied computer control technology since 1963. In 1994, Svenja John began to cut polycarbonate into parts by using CAD technology. It is processed and colored to form geometric jewelry with other parts. Later, she used rapid prototyping technology and combined her design with printers that can print different materials and colors at the same time. Color polycarbonate is reorganized by order but accidental. Her works always radiate an incredible vitality, because she skillfully combines artistry and technology, giving new materials unique artistic language. Svenja John said: "I don't want to use synthetic materials as simple decorative or cheap alternatives, but to explore and use the advantages and uniqueness of synthetic materials. Synthetic materials can be colorful, brilliant transparent texture, or elegant semi-transparent sandy texture, which is a medium to give people a real feeling and transmit real touch.

Enrich the formal expression of jewelry design

Whether in the process of jewelry design or the presentation of design results, rapid prototyping technology has become one of the most effective assistants. Compared with the traditional way of drawing design drawings or making samples according to sketches, rapid prototyping technology can construct models and proofing accurately in a shorter time. In the form of design results, rapid prototyping technology gives jewelry design unlimited possibilities. Standard symmetrical jewelry is the best rapid prototyping technology, and stereo, multi-layer, hollow and other complex modeling, it is absolutely difficult to invert rapid prototyping technology. Moreover, according to the characteristics of computer software required by rapid prototyping technology, many elements with digital traces have been brought into jewelry design. Through the design of 3D printing technology, the texture of digital traces on the surface can also be said to be decoration, and it is also an important element of the overall modeling. This is reflected in many designs after the maturity of computer technology.

It can be said that if rapid prototyping technology does not appear, it is estimated that designer Maria Eife will not be a hit. Maria Eife is a veteran player of rapid prototyping technology, and she has been fascinated by the innovation and reconstruction of existing jewelry forms. Her design often has traces of traditional jewelry, but the design is exaggerated and modern. According to her experience, it's very difficult to make her jewelry in other ways. Maria Eife said: "The shapes I create are often impossible or difficult to create in other ways. Some of my designs tend to be too heavy or expensive if they are made in other ways. "It is undeniable that rapid prototyping technology gives designers more freedom of creation and formal expression.

Provide new creative ideas for jewelry design

Design concept is the soul of jewelry works. Excellent jewelry works can not leave input and excavation of design ideas and connotations of Designers. Rapid prototyping technology not only provides efficient and convenient production, but also brings new creative ideas for jewelry design. For example, the work of Professor Wang Xiaoxin, of Academy of Fine Arts, Tsinghua University uses rapid prototyping technology. In the shape of metal form, the neat arrangement of human body group images, with the combination of jade articles and people, reflects the cultural connotation of "harmony of heaven and man". Its deep deconstruction and reconstruction of "harmony" culture is shown in the carrier of jade ritual ware. The design concept of this work originates from tradition, but the method of expression is modern. This design idea of combining traditional concept with modern language has also been developed and realized with the maturity of rapid prototyping technology.

Rapid prototyping technology not only attracts jewelry designers, but also inspires the visual artist Beate Eismann who is interested in jewelry design. She has produced a series of jewelry works by using rapid prototyping technology such as 3D printing and computer control technology. Beate Eismann has devoted herself to digital design and production for many years. There is a recurring theme in her research over the years: the printing technology of the past and the present. It can be said to be a new way of thinking in her creation. Therefore, she combines the printing plate of jewelry with modern technology and puts forward the concept of the relationship between the original and the copy. This concept combined with 3D printing made her feel like drawing in a space. In this process, she discovered the interaction between handcrafting and computer control, an experimental space for the combination of traditional materials and new materials. The research of rapid prototyping technology makes her creation success. Her works give people a surreal feeling, like "hybrid" living works. Inspired by a project in 2016 and combined with 3D printing, Beate Eisman began exploring and experimenting with intelligent materials. This spring-like creative thinking is developed from the deep study of rapid prototyping technology and the requirement of self-creation and perfection.