Rockware Glass is applying new modelling technology to create realistic 3D prototypes, with the main focus on embossing. The technology is enabling the company to expand the complexity of its designs, shorten lead times and improve quality. Traditionally, the glass designer has supplied the mould maker with a 3D artwork which it uses to produce the finished mould. But even the most precise engineering can fail to replicate the original artists's impression. Poorly machined moulds means that the glass produced can often contain slight imperfections on the embossing, especially when embossing is located around the shoulder of the container, one of the trickiest areas to work on. In its search for a solution, Rockware came across a desktop rapid prototyping system.
