Laminate object manufacturing (LOM) is a rapid prototyping technique using glued paper and a laser to create 3D objects. It allows for quick production of scale models for design changes and can provide multiple identical copies for bidding purposes.
Laminate object manufacturing (LOM) is a technique that companies can use to produce rapid prototypes of products under development. The result isn’t as accurate and durable as some prototypes, but it may be suitable for certain applications. With rapid prototyping, the goal is often to quickly create a working model of a part to allow engineers to discuss the design and make changes, as well as verify design changes while designs are in development. For these purposes, the manufacturing technique of the laminated object is often sufficient for the needs.
In this process, technicians load the equipment with glued paper and program a laser. The equipment rolls the paper, heating it as it goes so that the layers adhere to each other. The laser cuts the paper in cross section. As the equipment rolls out each new layer of paper and the laser cuts it, a three-dimensional object is formed. The size of the object is limited by the capability of the equipment, but it is usually possible to make prototypes of a variety of parts.
In manufacturing laminated items, equipment can quickly produce a scale model of a product. It won’t work, as it has no mechanical moving parts, wiring, and other features. It will give designers and developers a general idea of what the product will look like, using current designs. This may allow them to make changes in size, configuration and other features that could affect the functionality or marketability of the final product. Designers can feed new designs into the laser as the product evolves to see new prototypes.
Laser cutting technology such as that used in manufacturing laminated objects can be reasonably accurate, provided designers enter the design blueprints correctly. An operator may need to supervise to check for issues such as bubbles and bad cuts that could interfere with the appearance of the finished product. Prototypes can be marked in various ways to indicate which version they are and to provide information about components that can be used in finished products.
This technology also allows companies to provide multiple identical copies of a prototype to interested parties. This can be useful when soliciting offers from manufacturers who may be contracted to work on different components of a finished project. The company can use the production of laminated objects to make a series of prototypes to be sent at the same time, which can make the bidding process much faster.
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