激光固化快速成型制造中，支撑结构设计的优劣极大影响原型的制作精度。首先通过分析非水平下表面的分层制作过程，研究了其翘曲变形的机理。利用可仿真成型过程中层间力学行为的有限元计算模型，对层间悬臂量与翘曲变形量的关系进行了有限元计算仿真与试验验证。针对激光成型过程中零件需要支撑的非水平下表面，从激光固化快速成型制造中支撑结构的作用出发，以成型精度为设计目标，通过有限元计算仿真、试验验证等手段研究提出了针对零件中非水平下表面的支撑结构形式、布局及支撑间距等支撑设计规则。通过试验验证，按该规则对零件的非水平下表面进行支撑结构设计，可有效地保证激光固化快速成型的制作质量。

To reduce the time and cost of moulds fabrication, a novel integrated developing and manufacturing system of rapid tooling (RT) based on rapid prototyping (RP) is proposed. The architecture of system which consists of four building blocks: digital prototype, virtualprototype (VP), physicalprototype and RT system, is presented. A digitalprototype can be established by 3D CAD software packages or reveres engineering technique. A VP is employed to guide in optimization of the mould design and manufacturing process planning. A physical prototype, which is built using RP technology, generally serves as a pattern for producing RT. By integrating these building blocks closely, the system can aid effectively in mould design, analysis, prototyping, simulating, and manufacturing process development. Three typical cases are discussed in detail to illustrate the application of the system. It has been shown from a number of case studies that the system has a high potential to reduce further the cycle and cost of die development while minimizing error introduction. As a result, the integrated system provides a feasible and useful tool for companies to speed up their product development.

针对熔模铸造和快速原型制造本身对壳体原型件的需求，提出一种快速原型的抽壳简化方法，即利用零件的STL（STereolithography）模型及其分层信息，将零件原型的抽壳近似为沿分层方向的水平面偏置和层轮廓偏置，使得原型件的抽壳处理不受其形状复杂程度的影响，从而避开直接对sTL模型抽壳所遇到的障碍，极大地简化了零件原型的抽壳处理，提高了抽壳效率。工程实例表明该方法的正确性和实用性，缩短了零件原型制作时间，降低了成本。