Introduction
A fabber or “digital fabricator” is a “factory in a box” that makes things automatically from digital data. Fabbers generate three-dimensional, solid objects you can hold in your hands, submit to testing, or assemble into working mechanisms.
They are used by manufacturers around the world for low-volume production, prototyping, and mold mastering.
They are also used by scientists and surgeons for solid imaging, and by a few modern artists for innovative computerized sculpture.
Manufacturers report enormous productivity gains from using fabbers
Categorize of fabber:
- Subtractive: Material is carved away from a solid block, such as by milling, turning, or electrodischarge machining (EDM).
- Additive: Material is successively added into place to build up the desired object. The methods used include selective curing, selective sintering, and aimed deposition
- Formative: Material is neither added nor removed, but opposing pressures are applied to the material to modify its shape. Techniques in this category, including automated bending and reconfigurable molding, are under development.
- Hybrid: Processes from two or more of the above categories are combined. Sheet-based fabbers, which cut and laminate successive layers of sheet material, are hybrid subtractive/additive devices. A combination CNC punch press and press brake is a hybrid subtractive/formative fabber
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The applications of fabbers fall into five basic categories:
- Direct, low-volume production of products or parts
- Industrial models and prototypes
- Copy tooling, such as molds and mold patterns
- Imaging of scientific, mathematical, statistical, medical, and other types of 3-D data
- Computer sculpture
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Manufacturers for making small quantities of specialty items, such as design prototypes, production molds, and custom products.
Prosthetists, architects, theater prop makers, and other professionals whose work involves the production of individual, unique items.
Chemists, biologists, surgeons, and others needing to represent complex physical structures or 3-dimensional data sets.
Artists, including sculptors and jewelers.
Consumers in general, when the cost and ease of use become
acceptable.
