Abstract
The rapid prototyping process in product development is generally done not by the project designers, but by an in-house project leader and a prototyping contractor outside the company. If it were possible for the designers to easily do the prototyping themselves whenever they wished, it would increase te efficiency and shorten the time required for product development. With this in mind, we have developed Smart Prototyping, a system that enables 3D designers to create prototypes using a modeling machine installed in remote location. The system has the following features. ・ The modeling machine can be controlled and monitored by using network technologies. ・ A modeling knowledge supply system based on knowledge creating logic enables the use of expert know-how. As a result, designers who do not have a modeling machine in their department, and who lack specialized modeling knowledge, can easily create prototypes from a remote location, thus helping to short the design time.
