What is Rapid Prototyping?

Dacron®
Synthetic polymeric textile fiber that is strong and wrinkle-resistant. decomposition temperature The temperature (Td) at which a material is destroyed by chemical decomposition.

Decimation
T he process of reducing the size of a polygonal model file by decreasing triangle density, resolution, and quantity.

Defenestrate
A 17th century word, now back in fashion, that means to throw someone or something out the window. As in: "Let's defenestrate this marketing strategy."

Defenestration
Pronunciation: (")dE-"fe-n&-'strA-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: de- + Latin fenestra window
: a throwing of a person or thing out of a window

Degree of polymerization (DP)
The number of structural units or mers in the polymer molecule in a particular sample. The value is obtained from the molecular weight of the polymer divided by that of the mer. If "average" molecular weight is used, then the value is the "average" DP. In most polymers the DP must reach several thousand if worthwhile physical properties are to be had.

Delamination
Detachment of the fibers from the matrix, or a crack in the matrix running parallel to a laminate layer.

Delectric
Insulating material. In radio frequency preheating, dielectric may refer specifically to the material which is being heated.

Density
Density is the weight per unit volume of material at 23C and can be expressed as grams per cubic centimeter, pounds per cubic incho or pounds per gallon.[Also referred to as ASTM D792]

Design Intent
T he intended design of an as-built object. Every manufactured part or object varies from its original intended design by some factor. Imperfections can be identified, analyzed, and corrected in reverse engineered models.

Desktop Manufacturing (DTM)
An early synonym for rapid prototyping, but no longer in current usage.

Dial It Back
To tone down. As in: "Your sales pitch is too aggressive. Dial it back."

Digital Modeling
T he process of creating a computer model of an object that exactly replicates the form of the object.

Digitize
T he use of a 3D measurement system to capture features of an object. Typically digitizing is used for feature-based measurement of geometry and capturing contours using section cut techniques (as opposed to dense laser scanning).

Direct 3Dview (D3Dv)
A file format, provided by DDI, that offers anyone the ability to view full 3D interactive environments and objects, directly on the web, or in stand-alone format.

Dumb Solid
A solid body in a CAD model that cannot be modified.

Dielectric Constant
Normally the relative dielectric constant; for practical purposes, the ratio of the capacitance of an assembly of two electrodes separated solely by a dielectric material to its capacitance when the electrodes are separated solely by air.

Dielectric Strength
The electric voltage gradient at which an insulating material is broken down or "arced through". In volts per mil of thickness.

Direct Composite Manufacturing
3D Systems' trade name for OptoForm technology, a stereolithography process which utilizes paste-like photopolymers to fabricate useable parts. direct manufacturing A synonym for rapid manufacturing. It refers to parts made directly for end-use by an additive rapid prototyping process.

Direct Metal Deposition (DMD)
A rapid laser powder forming process commercialized by POM Group and based on research done at the University of Michigan.

Directed Metal Deposition System (DMDS)
Optomec's trade name for the LENS ® (Reg. trademark of Sandia National Labs. and Sandia Corp.) process.

Direct Shell Production Casting (DSPC)
Soligen is the exclusive supplier for this specialized version of MIT's three dimensional printing process (3DP). It is used exclusively for investment casting applications.

Directed Light Fabrication (DLF)
A laser powder forming rapid prototyping process developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Dissipation Processes
Conversion of friction to heat. distillation Important separation method in chemical technology, in which liquid or liquefied substances are separated out of other substances by evaporation and recondensation.

Dots Per Inch (dpi)
A measure of the resolution of a printer. The number of discrete and distinct printed marks that an instrument is capable of producing in a linear inch. Also sometimes used in RP to describe the ability of an RP system to produce discrete voxels in the X-Y axial directions.

Draw Down Ratio
The ratio of the thickness of the die opening to the final thickness of the product. ductility The extent to which a solid material can be drawn into a thinner cross section.

DTM Corp., now incorporated into 3D Systems, was named after this terminology. Use of DTM as a company name became more common usage than the prior technical definition itself. direct (fabrication) processes Generally refers to tooling which is made directly by a rapid prototyping system, as opposed to using the RP part as a pattern in a secondary process.

Durometer Hardness
Hardness of a material measured by Shore Durometer.

DXF
A short term for a line file which can be used to create a 3D model (native AutoCAD format). Also known as Drawing Interchange File.