Prototyping technologies used in the world and comparison of utilization with machining in tool making

In today's economic conditions, cost and time concepts are among the discussed topics on by companies. In this direction, companies are making continuous innovation and improvement works to protect and increase their competitiveness in the market. The effect to economic conditions of cost and time concepts while these are very important, it is necessary to continue to examine the work done in this area. In this study, rapid prototyping technologies are explained and compared. Moreover, the current usage areas of these technologies are explained. As a result of these innovation and improvement studies, the applicability to the required prototype die manufacturing in the automotive industry are examined. A suitable part is chosen to compare production times and cost elements between the traditional production methods and rapid prototyping technologies. Prototype sheet bending die plates of the aforementioned part are produced with SLS technology and these plates are then used for the part production process. The measurement correction of the produced parts are made and measurement result graphics are created and interpreted. In the final phase, the production costs and times of produced prototype sheet bending die plates are calculated for the traditional methods and the SLS technology and the results are evaluated. As a result of the calculations and evaluations, SLS technology can be used at the stage of the production of the prototype dies in the automotive industry to produce suitable parts. However, rapid prototyping technologies are not able to produce bigger parts because of the restriction of the current production area dimensions.