Benefits of 3D printing for Automotive

Prototyping has been the primary use of 3D printing for automotive applications. With the ability to produce multiple design iterations in a shorter amount of time, 3D printing is an effective tool for product development. The technology has now evolved to where it can be used to create functional prototypes using various high-performance materials.  

3D printing is well-positioned to make a significant positive impact on the automotive industry’s spare parts problem.  Even parts that no longer exist can potentially be remade to requirement, on reverse engineering based on digital scans of existing parts. We can convert them into CAD models and print them using 3D Printing technology.  

To produce high-quality parts, tooling aids are needed for manufacturing and assembly. While tooling equipment (like injection moulds, jigs and fixtures) aren’t prototypes or end parts, they remain a vital element of the production process.    With 3D printing technologies like FDM and SLS, automotive companies are able to produce tooling aids at a fraction of the cost, greatly increasing efficiency on the factory floor. Tooling can also be customized for improved functionality at a significantly lower cost than conventional meth

Being able to rapidly manufacture a complex, lightweight bracket overnight is a trademark of the AM industry. Not only does AM allow for organic shapes and designs to be manufactured but AM also requires very little input from an operator meaning that engineers are able to quickly take a design from a computer to assembly in a very short amount of time. This is not possible with traditional manufacturing techniques like CNC machining where a highly skilled machine operator is needed to produce parts. Powder bed fusion technologies like SLS nylon and metal printing are best suited for functional parts and offer a range of materials (from PA12 nylon to titanium).