A cloud service platform for the seamless integration of digital design and rapid prototyping manufacturing

Abstract

At present, some service platforms for 3D manufacturing encounter problems, including the low level of integration with digital design ability, the single character of cooperative printings, the uneven distribution of 3D printing resources, and the high 3D design requirements of users. To overcome these issues, a cloud service platform for the seamless integration of digital design and rapid prototyping manufacturing was established using ASP.NET, WebGL, WebSocket, and SQL Server in combination with C# language and JavaScript. The goals were to realize a design and rapid prototyping of mechanical equipment parts that are browser based and provide online digital design services, such as the parametric design of key parts, downloading of models, format conversion, and virtual assembly. The client application layer, server processing layer, database layer, and working machine end application layer of this cloud 3D printing platform were set up. The result of the design module could be printed remotely in 3D. Practical application showed that the platform could effectively improve the R&D and design speed of the parts and components of the mechanical equipment and reduce the effort of designers. In particular, this platform would be suitable for users without a 3D design background. The design and rapid prototyping parts of the platform satisfied the dimensional precision required by enterprises, which provides an important basis for the further verification of the design correctness for small- and medium-sized enterprises and has high application value.