Freeform fabrication technology does not require pre-formed mandrels or tooling; instead, it builds physical objects directly from computer graphical data. This type of technology is also known as layer manufacturing, since it constructs the three- dimensional object layer by layer (Jacobs, 1992; Beaman et al., 1997). The technology has proved that it can help to rapidly provide feedback on design concepts, discover inconsistencies in the design, modify the design, and eliminate inconsistency before fabricating the design. This greatly reduces the production cycle time, and tremendously contributes to quality, competitiveness, and reductions in maintenance cost. Because most of the commercially available freeform fabrication techniques can only handle materials at relatively modest temperatures, almost all prototyping parts are made of low-temperature polymeric.
