Additive manufacturing (AM) and its applications can drive innovation while helping automakers stay abreast of the current industry pace.
By applying additive manufacturing technologies to product development and production strategies, automakers can combine high-value transformative applications with high levels of productivity to produce innovative parts and products while maintaining high profit margins.
1 Transformative Applications
Standards-based materials innovation will continue to drive the adoption of additive manufacturing for end uses in the automotive industry.
Automotive manufacturing applications require the use of materials designed and tested to standards to meet a variety of needs such as heat resistance, chemical exposure, and long-term environmental stability.
Comprehensive process flow, parameter development, and material testing, combined with application expertise, combine to drive the development of additive materials that meet the quality and production requirements of the automotive industry.
UL94 V0 flame retardant grade black plastic with a heat deflection temperature greater than 150C for stable, long-term use components such as brackets, covers, and fixed assemblies.
View Stereo light-curing molding technology resin with long-term environmental stability, suitable for large-size plastic parts with strict requirements for mechanical properties.
Fiber-reinforced plastics with excellent stiffness, high strength-to-weight ratio and high heat resistance are ideal for housings and covers, clamps and fixtures inside the hood.
Durable polypropylene (PP) material has excellent fluid resistance and chemical resistance; easy to weld to assemble large
Cobalt-free steels are suitable for the production of mold inserts with shaped cooling channels, tools and components with high hardness and excellent corrosion resistance.
2Key Challenges
Today's automotive companies can use additive manufacturing to address key challenges such as curved experiences, lean manufacturing, robust components, and newly designed systems. Each of these challenges requires simultaneous advances in productivity and innovation, which require advances in additive technologies and automotive applications to achieve.
Surface Experience
Rapidly produce A-grade surfaces to provide a customized automotive experience for a specific user or group.
Our additive manufacturing solutions for body interiors and exteriors allow you to better control the performance and visual experience while simplifying and customizing production.
Body interior
With our comprehensive portfolio of additive manufacturing technologies and materials, you can quickly design, test and iterate on custom high-end experiences. Take precise control of every sensory element while reducing overall component count to optimize manufacturing.
Body exterior trim and panels
Our additive manufacturing solutions allow you to build parts in hours to quickly iterate, optimize and produce your designs. High-performance materials including rigid plastics, composites, and a range of different surface types can further maximize style and performance without sacrificing productivity.
Engine compartment/powertrain
Optimize the performance of propulsion systems, drive systems and surrounding components with rapid iterations while meeting high temperature and flame retardant requirements. Our additive manufacturing solutions enable rapid production of durable 3D printed parts, helping you gain a competitive advantage and protect your intellectual property.
Metal structure components
Utilize precise and efficient 3D printing processes to create high-performance structural systems that facilitate the production of lightweight components, reducing inertia while increasing overall strength. Further enhance the manufacturing process with a variety of alloys, allowing you to take advantage of efficient post-processing and cleaning techniques.
Air and fluid handling
Optimize fluid management and maximize the use of valuable installation space. With our innovative air and fluid transfer solutions, you can produce complex geometries that meet design intent and test them to verify component and system performance. Your components not only support valuable concept evaluations, but can also withstand extreme environments, pressures and flow rates while providing chemical compatibility and the required long-term stability.
Manufacturing Aids
Manufacturing aids such as robotic grippers, jigs, fixtures and positioners need to perform reliably in challenging environments. These tools are subject to forces, wear and chemicals that can put pressure on certain additive manufacturing materials and technologies.
Energy and Fluid Management (Metals)
Maximize fluid and energy management performance with our metal additive manufacturing solutions. You can create robust, corrosion-resistant, simplified metal components that optimize energy, fluid flow and heat in propulsion systems. Components produced with our solutions can withstand high temperatures and harsh environmental conditions as well as a wide range of fluids, and can be easily installed in limited spaces.
Durable metal mold
Create durable molds such as injection molds and die casting mold inserts that are not possible with conventional mold making methods, and build them in a short period of time. Advanced molds with innovations such as follow-the-shape cooling often require innovative production methods to mass produce quality parts. With the shorter lead times of 3D printed durable molds, you can accelerate the iteration and innovation of these advanced molds.