What is Rapid Prototyping?

Value Migration
Used in industries where there is little market growth, the term refers to the movement of growth and profit opportunities from one company to another..

Value Stream
Six Sigma term that encompasses every step in the process of producing and delivering a product or service (whether it adds value or not).

Vinyl Chloride
Monomer from which polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is made.

Virtual Prototyping
Computer-based prototyping without recourse to a physical part or object.

Viscosity
A material's resistance to flow. Internal friction or resistance to flow of a liquid. More precisely it's the constant ratio of shearing stress to rate of shear. In liquids for which this ratio is a function of stress, the term "apparent viscosity" is defined as this ratio.

Voxel
The three dimensional equivalent of a pixel. A pixel is a "picture element," and a voxel is a "volume element." A voxel may also be defined as the minimum volume that a rapid prototyping system can fabricate.

Vulcanization
The chemical reaction which induces extensive changes in the physical properties of a rubber or plastic and which is brought about by reacting it with sulphur and/or other suitable agents. Chemical cross-linking process that alters the properties of natural rubber to make it elastic and resistant to distortion. The changes in physical properties include decreased plastic flow, reduced surface tackiness, increased elasticity, much greater tensile strength, and considerably less solubility.