Automotive
Automotive additive manufacturing has been embedded into the core of the auto industry in the form of rapid prototyping since the very first AM technologies appeared at the end of the 1980s. AM has subsequently gradually entered new areas of the automobile industry, such as motorsports and luxury limited editions, to then open new possibilities in terms of mass customization.
Now the next and final phase of AM adoption is upon us, as AM radically alters supply chain and production dynamics, becoming the standard for tooling and enabling new possibilities in spare parts and obsolescence management. With the ultimate goal of introducing AM technologies to truly digitalize and further automate serial mass production. In particular, the now clearly unstoppable EV revolution stands to both benefit and further drive adoption of AM as weight optimization and integrated subassemblies become a key requirement to extend mileage and reduce energy consumption within increasingly “solid-state” vehicles.
As the first major consumer product industry to do so, the implications and the potential for this paradigm shift are extremely significant for both AM and the global manufacturing industry as a whole. The implications extend to all industries linked to manufacturing, such as material production, and product distribution. The prospects, given the sheer scale of the global auto market, are incredibly important for the development of automotive additive manufacturing technology and are therefore quite exciting, as high throughput AM technologies become more established for polymer materials and may now finally be within reach for metals as well.
The production requirements of the automotive segment—and its subsegments—are unique, and strictly tied to both the underlying characteristics of the automotive segment (high productivity requirements, lower cost of materials, high automation of production), its changing trends (demand, regulations, scale economics, geopolitical situations, supply chain dynamics) and macro trends (propulsion systems, mass customization, smart mobility, connectivity and digitalization).
Most manufacturers of 3D printing technology have established strong ties and experience developing and selling solutions to the auto industry. The reality, however, is that the additive manufacturing industry at large is still only just waking up to the challenges associated with vertically integrated manufacturing solutions.
The next phase of innovation, adoption and industrialization of automotive additive manufacturing passes through scaling up of final parts production. In order for AM technologies to complete the necessary transition, several steps will need to be taken. These include continued investments in technology R&D from major stakeholders in both the AM and in the automotive industries; increased AM integration in the end-to-end manufacturing workflow to reduce costs and increase speeds, as well as the continued development of DfAM (Design for Additive Manufacturing) optimizations. With new machines such as SLM Solutions’ 12-laser NXG 600 system, Desktop Metal’s Production Systems, GE Additive’s H2, HP’s MetalJet and ExOne’s X1 160Pro targeted specifically at this market segment and arriving into the market this year, 2021 is already shaping up the most critical period for this next phase of AM’s growth.
In this first AM Focus of 2021, in partnership with some of the most important automotive and AM industry stakeholders, we build upon our previous 2020 focus on Automotive AM to continue to shed light on the very latest developments for automotive additive manufacturing in terms of hardware technologies, material science and production automation, presenting an additional analysis of how AM is enabling the EV revolution.
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[Preview] The integration of AM at General Motors
The following is a preview of an interview conducted by 3dpbm with General Motors. Look out for the full story in our upcoming Automotive AM Focus 2021 eBook. For over a century, Detroit-based General Motors (GM) has been a key pioneer and player in the global automotive sector. Today, GM…
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Callum Automobile selects MakerBot METHOD X 3D
Callum Automotive installed MakerBot‘s METHOD X 3D printer to produce functional prototypes, tooling and production parts. Callum’s luxury automotive design business focuses on luxury vehicles and associated lifestyle brands, including the limited edition Aston Martin Callum Vanquish 25 by R-Reforged. The automotive industry spent 2020 taking up 3D printing devices…
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Ford adopts Form 3L 3D printers from Formlabs
Ford Spain is the first car manufacturer in Europe to use the Form 3L, a larger format 3D printer from photopolymerization 3D printer OEM Formlabs. Ford Body and Assembly in Valencia uses the Form 3L to produce plastic caps that are used in a vacuum test to check engines for…
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Automotive AM kicks into gear as Desktop Metal ships P-1 systems to Ford and Cetim
Desktop Metal has begun shipping a new, intermediate version of its P-50 Production System, the new P-1 printer, globally to its early customer base. Key clients who have already received the machine include Ford Motors, an early investor in Desktop Metal, and Cetim, the Centre Technique des Industries Mécaniques, in…
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General Motors opens new AIC (Additive Industrialization Center) to increase agility
General Motors is opening a 15,000-square-foot Additive Industrialization Center, a ground-up facility exclusively dedicated to productionizing 3D printing technology in the automotive industry. The AIC is the capstone of GM’s expertise and increased investment in 3D printing over the last several years. “The core component of GM’s transformation is becoming…
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BMW shows off more of Rolls Royce’s serially 3D printed automotive parts and process
After 3dpbm first revealed the serially 3D printed automotive parts produced for Rolls Royce, BMW Group (which owns Rolls Royce) is sharing more details about the production process. BMW invested heavily into AM tech and shows no signs of slowing down, as the Additive Manufacturing Campus, where research is being…
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Aptera launches first never-charge solar electric vehicle
Despite a promising beginning in the mid-2000s, Californian fuel-efficient vehicle company Aptera Motors closed its doors in 2011, failing to deliver more than a prototype of a car that could run 100 miles on a single charge. Now, believers in Aptera Motors can see that vision finally fulfilled as the…
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Cadillac uses 3D printing to create parts for V-Series transmission
Cadillac’s introduction of the new 2022 CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing will also mark the revival of one of the most popular features for driving enthusiasts – the manual transmission. These manual transmissions were produced using new additive manufacturing applications that will bring 3D-printed parts into the upcoming ultra-high-performance sedans.…
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