Abstract: The disclosure relates to rapid informational prototypes of three-dimensional objects and systems having three or more dimensions, wherein the informational prototype includes information beyond outer physical shape, such as stress contours, thermal gradients, internal structures and elements, and elements varying with time. One preferred manner for indicating information is through the use of differently colored regions in the prototype. According to a rapid prototyping method of the present invention, a series of slices through the object or system are defined by an ordinal number, overall contour information for describing shape of the slice in an X-Y plane, slice thickness information for describing thickness of the slice in a Z direction, and slice image information for providing useful information other than the overall contour information, preferably through color images.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to rapid informational prototypes of three-dimensional objects and systems having three or more dimensions, wherein the informational prototype includes information beyond outer physical shape, such as stress contours, thermal gradients, internal structures and elements, and elements varying with time. One preferred manner for indicating information is through the use of differently colored regions in the prototype. According to a rapid prototyping method of the present invention, a series of slices through the object or system are defined by an ordinal number, overall contour information for describing shape of the slice in an X-Y plane, slice thickness information for describing thickness of the slice in a Z direction, and slice image information for providing useful information other than the overall contour information, preferably through color images.