Although you won’t be able to buy a 3D printed car at the dealership just yet, 3D printing is being used across every stage of automotive design, development, and manufacturing.
There are now experts at every level of vehicle development and production who are 3D printing car prototypes, production aids, replacement parts, and aftermarket components. 3D printing can add enormous value to supply chains, unlocking a broad spectrum of production applications.
As 3D printing solutions have grown more affordable — even for industrial options — both companies and individuals are able to start using additive manufacturing to quickly design new products and vehicle components. While previously the lack of material strength and durability made end-use car components impossible, advanced 3D printing materials can now stand up to the rugged environments required for automotive performance.
Read on to find 12 key ways 3D printing is powering innovation across the automotive industry, from design to manufacturing and beyond. You could also talk to our team about an automotive project you’re working on to see if Formlabs’ stereolithography (SLA) or selective laser sintering (SLS) printers are right for you.
3D Printed End-Use Car Parts
3D printed parts are now out on a highway near you: from legacy manufacturers like BMW to small shops specializing in customization and performance, 3D printing in automotive manufacturing is gaining speed.
Though the majority of applications are still low-volume, like aftermarket parts, there is some real production volume and possibilities out there — for instance, if you see a BMW X7 speeding past you, you can bet there’s an SLS 3D printed clip in its seat assemblies.
Stop-Gap Manufacturing: 3D Printing for the BMW X7
One in every three new vehicles coming off the assembly line today has at least one component manufactured by Brose — one of the five largest family-owned automotive suppliers in the world. Every year, more and more of those components are 3D printed.
For the BMW X7 seat assembly, Brose had to think creatively to get around supply chain issues impacting the production timeline. For one clip used in the base of the seat frame, Brose’s Manager of Seat Prototyping, Matthias Schulz, decided to leverage the high-volume potential and durable materials of SLS technology.
The Brose team printed 250,000 seat clips in only a couple of weeks on their two Fuse 1+ 30W SLS 3D printers in Nylon 12 GF Powder. Working together with the OEM, BMW, the Brose team certified the 3D printed clips for long-term, end use in seat assemblies. SLS 3D printing them allowed the overall production schedule to move ahead as planned. Without this stop-gap manufacturing option, the release of the X7 model could have been delayed for months while a new injection molding master was designed, machined, put into production and then shipped from overseas.
“We decided to jump onto the Formlabs boat here. We did that because the material availability and the consistency of the prints were so much improved that the technology is now ready to be helpful in the automotive industry. The issue for us is that safety and durability concerns exist, especially with the OEMs. We’re trying to rule this out. And in collaboration with Formlabs, we have proven that we can implement parts like we do on the current BMW X7.”
Matthias Schulz, Manager, Seat Prototyping, Brose North America
Customizing Police Cars at MOSOLF
In Germany, over a third of police vehicles have an additively manufactured part in them, estimates Carsten Busam, Head of Project Planning at MOSOLF Special Vehicles GmbH. MOSOLF manufactures 1000 ‘special vehicles,’ such as police cars and emergency service vehicles, every year. With the addition of multiple Fuse 1+ 30W SLS 3D printers to their workflow, they’re now able to 3D print end-use car parts and accessories that enhance the performance of these vehicles.
First responders need to be able to rely on their transportation and the quality of their tools. MOSOLF 3D prints car brackets, mounts, jigs, holders, and more in Nylon 12 Powder. The durability of the rugged SLS powder makes it possible to use it for end-use parts that can withstand the wear and tear of an emergency responder’s usage. In addition to the durability of the material, SLS 3D printing has made a difference in terms of speed for Busam and his team.
“The biggest impact of 3D printing on in-house production is that we have become significantly faster in many areas. With the traditional processes, we have delivery times of four to six weeks, especially if the parts need to be coated. With 3D printing, we can procure parts virtually overnight. If we didn't have access to 3D printing, our work processes would probably be much longer and more complicated because we would probably have to manufacture and adapt each part several times.”
Carsten Busam, Head of Project Planning, MOSOLF Special Vehicles GmbH
Producing Custom Control Systems for Machines and Vehicles Using SLS 3D Printing
A special texturing of the 3D model gives the housing a leather look, making it impossible to detect that the component is 3D printed.
At IBL Hydronic, a German manufacturer of machinery solutions for electronic, hydraulic, and software assemblies in industrial vehicles, SLS 3D printing provides a fast, efficient, and affordable way of designing and manufacturing end-use components in low volumes.
A recent project that IBL Hydronic worked on involved developing a control panel for an agricultural machinery manufacturer that had to be tailored to a specific machine. After just one month of prototyping, assembly, and testing, IBL presented the complete solution the customer.
The vehicle component housings were printed using the Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer, then assembled and fitted with a leather armrest pad. In order to create a design that was not only functional, but also visually appealing, the team added a texture to the surface of the 3D model in the design process. The SLS 3D printed components were then smoothed, and colored using a dye bath. The result is an assembly consisting of end use vehicle components manufactured fully with SLS 3D printing, featuring a leather-like surface texture, which enhances the looks and rounds off the entire design.
“Thanks to the ease of use and the simple workflow with SLS 3D printing, you can concentrate purely on the product and the design. This simplifies our processes tremendously.”
Tom Heindl, Technical Product Designer for 3D Printing, IBL Hydronic
3D Printed Intake Manifolds
For the 12 Pollici Italian Cup racing championship, winner Elia Marescutti raced with a 3D printed intake manifold — printed on Form Series SLA 3D printers using Rigid 10K Resin.
Not only did the 3D printed manifold withstand the stress of a high performance race, it actually performed better than the traditionally machined aluminum manifold. Using a thermal imaging camera, the Rigid 10K Resin manifold recorded a 40-50 °C lower temperature than the traditionall aluminum component, and cooled down much faster, enabling easier handling of the assembly after the race was won.
3D Printed Car Gauges and Telemetry Displays
SLS 3D printing car gauges and telemetry displays allows BTI Gauges to answer customer demands quickly and cost-effectively.
Like many successful businesses, BTI Gauges started with a gap in the market. Brandon Talkmitt, founder and owner, was looking for a customizable approach to telemetry display for his high-performance car.
Talkmitt searched, unsuccessfully, for a gauge that contained multiple performance metrics, so his windshield wasn’t littered with multiple screens and distracting read-outs. He then began by prototyping the external casings of the gauges on a fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer and testing them out himself, subjecting the casings to high-heat environments inside cars and ovens, and modifying the design to complement multiple car models. After evaluating methods for end-use production, Talkmitt settled on SLS 3D printing for its durability and temperature resistance.
With the ability to turnaround a customized design in just a few days, there was immediately interest in his product from clientele driving 1990’s style Japanese race cars, Lamborghinis, Dodge Vipers, and other high-performance vehicles. Talkmitt learned how to pack his build chambers so efficiently that he can achieve nearly a zero-waste workflow and reduce his overall costs.
By implementing in-house manufacturing with a high quality SLS printer like the Fuse 1, he was able to control and secure his production power, rocketing him above those still dependent on traditional manufacturing or external suppliers. “I’d recommend it to anyone. The Fuse 1 has changed the game for us,” says Talkmitt.
3D Printing in Automotive Manufacturing
While 3D printed end-use car components are often the most exciting, newsworthy developments, the use of 3D printed parts in automotive manufacturing (as production consumables, aka manufacturing aids) is perhaps the bigger story, at least in terms of cost savings and efficiency for the manufacturer.
On the automotive assembly line, there can be hundreds of custom or low-volume components, like jigs, fixtures, brackets, mounts, holders, testing structures, and more. 3D printing provides a low-cost option that manufacturers can implement quickly to keep their production line running.
Same-Day Robotic Welding Fixtures on Form 4L at Brose
Form 4L makes same-day, large-format parts possible, like this welding fit fixture printed in Fast Model Resin.
At Brose North America, where Brose’s Additive Technology team operates the fleet of SLA and SLS printers, their welding robots need to switch between different product lines constantly. At a plant, the welding machines stay programmed to one product line, but at headquarters, they have two robotic machines responsible for welding seat prototypes of every different product line.
Each time the robot has to switch to a new product line, the welding department has to reprogram its parameters. Programming a welding robot using prototype metal rails is expensive, and they are very often not available at the time the weld station is ready to teach the equipment. 3D printing offers a fast and inexpensive solution, as speed and dimensional accuracy are needed for those setup parts.
“We use Form 4L to print setup parts for our weld cell in just hours instead of overnight. This allows the Brose welding experts to program the robot prior to the metal stamping components arriving. With the new Fast Model Resin, we receive the detail required and the rigidity needed in a faster time than ever before.”
Matthias Schulz, Manager, Seat Prototyping, Brose North America
How Dorman Products 3D Prints Car Component Test Fixtures
One of the two test fixtures for the pressurized hose test.
The customized fixture made to simulate the mating geometry, avoiding the need to find the entire radiator to test fit.
Dorman Products, a century-old manufacturer of aftermarket automotive parts, leverages 3D printing to speed up their production timelines and increase quality. They rely on their twelve 3D printers, split between two locations, to help them keep pace with the constant addition of new makes and models from the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Because every product serves a different function, each testing protocol and validation process is unique. Even if two different parts’ validation processes call for fluid flow testing, they will need different fixtures to hold them in place due to their different geometry. That’s where 3D printing comes in — Dorman is able to design custom test fixtures for each part and print them the same day. Fixtures and gauges could take five to ten weeks to arrive from a machine shop.
“We can design and create parts with ease; we’re generally not limited by traditional manufacturing processes, and we’ve been teaching other departments that adding undercuts, or ridges, doesn’t mean adding cost like with machining. It’s been opening doors and turning on light bulbs to fully design a fixture exactly how they want.”
Chris Allebach, Additive Manufacturing Lead, Dorman Products
Reducing Costs on the Automotive Assembly Line
This end-of-line (EOL) connector piece has been implemented at the final stage in the seat assembly process. After the technician connects the seat frame to the electrical source and performs the final check, he removes it to move through the next process stage. Many times, technicians would forget the electrical connection, and in removing the seat, snap the cord, causing a couple hundred dollars of damage to the assembly line, and pausing production.
The additive technology team worked with the New Boston team to design a magnetic connector line. It easily attaches to the line and the seat frame, but snaps off without any damage if the technician pulls away the seat frame without manually removing the cord. 3D printed automotive manufacturing aids reduce wear and tear on the machinery and can reduce the instances of operator error, saving money on replacements and reducing downtime for the company.
Pankl Racing Systems: Reducing Costs in Performance Vehicle Manufacturing
Pankl Racing Systems specializes in developing and manufacturing engine and drivetrain components for racing cars, high-performance vehicles, and aerospace applications, including for Formula 1 cars and Marine One (the United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the US president).
Pankl not only has to design the end-use components themselves, they must also develop a series of custom jigs, fixtures, and tooling components to make those components. These parts are low-volume and highly specific, so 3D printing has proven the most cost effective and efficient way of fabricating them, and the introduction of SLA 3D printers and materials has significantly reduced overall development costs for Pankl.
For a vehicle gearbox assembly, Pankl had to machine steel parts, followed by several additional heating and cooling processes — each one requiring a custom jig. Outsourcing those jigs to a machine shop would have added six weeks to the timeline, so instead Pankl 3D printed them on Form SLA 3D printers using an early version of Tough 1500 Resin.
“We’ve had success with 3D printed parts in our production line, and I see countless other applications that could benefit from 3D printing.”
Christian Joebstl, Process Engineer, Pankl
3D Printing for Automotive Design and Prototyping
Thanks to the vastly increased speed at which prototyping can be carried out using 3D printing, rapid prototyping has become virtually synonymous with 3D printing, and the technology has revolutionized the product development process.
With 3D printing, automotive designers can quickly fabricate a prototype of a physical part or assembly, from a simple interior element to a dashboard or even a scale model of an entire car. Access to industrial-quality 3D printers allows automotive designers to try new things that can mimic the performance of the end-use part, shortening the iterative cycle at the same time as expanding the number of new ideas a designer can try.
Developing Nex-Gen Models at Ford
Ford Motor Company is the sixth largest automaker in the world, producing over 4 million vehicles a year and employing over 175,000 staff worldwide. At the heart of Ford's European operations is Ford Cologne, established in 1930 and best known for assembling the Ford Fiesta.
In the race to develop a new electric model, iterative speed is everything. Ford’s design teams were able to ideate and 3D print car components every day, and actually test their fit and feel within the car.
"Additive manufacturing is very important in the development process. It gives you the opportunity to produce parts very quickly, very efficiently, and reduce costs… It makes you much more competitive compared to competitors."
Sandro Piroddi, Supervisor of the Rapid Technology Center, Ford
Designing the Cars of Tomorrow at Vital Auto
Vital Auto—a customer of Formlabs’ fastest-growing UK reseller, SolidPrint 3D — creates high-fidelity prototypes and concept cars, rapidly working through iterations using a variety of advanced tools, including a large fleet of Form 3L and Fuse 1 printers.
One of the first contracts the company took on was for the NIO EP9 supercar concept, which instantly set the team on a course to producing an extremely realistic, high-fidelity vehicular prototype. Their customers, ranging from Volvo, Nissan, Lotus, McLaren, Geely, TATA, and more, come to Vital Auto with ideas for never-before-seen car concepts.
To design, test, and build something completely new, Vital Auto turns to 3D printers that can produce parts in a variety of materials and with the highest possible quality. Their 14 3D printers, including several Form 4L, Form 4, and Fuse 1+ 30W printers, run 24/7 to match the scale of iteration going on. From air vents to door seals, brake calipers, and door handles, their 3D printers are an integral part of the workflow.
“3D printing has allowed us to combine both the SLA and SLS materials to work our way through design iterations on a specific project. This allows us to quickly produce multiple iterations, combining both processes, using them for their specific properties, to achieve a final design. This can be anything from mechanical parts to clear parts to check their optical quality and output.”
Anthony Barnicott, Design Engineer
3D Printing Inlet Duct Design Improvements for the Toyota Yaris GR
Forge Motorsport, a UK-based manufacturer of aftermarket vehicle performance parts, uses Formlabs 3D printers to prototype and functionally test end-use car parts for OEM models like the Toyota Yaris GR.
Upon the model’s release, Forge noticed the opportunity to improve the performance of the car by increasing the size of the inlet duct and moving the airbox opening. These changes would reduce fluctuations in intake air temperature and make it easier for the driver to anticipate engine performance as well as reduce overall temperature. After reverse engineering Toyota’s part and surrounding assembly, they could simulate air flow in Solidworks, and then designed a new model. They quickly 3D printed the vehicles inlet duct in Draft Resin to confirm fit, and then moved to Tough 1500 Resin for end-use function.
The customer used the 3D printed part in his Yaris GR for five months, during which time he collected data on performance under different conditions. As expected, the redesigned part showed improved performance: while the stock part had a temperature variance of 42-45 °C, the 3D printed part had measured IATs between 35-36 °C. To learn more about reverse engineering and 3D printing car parts, watch our webinar with Forge Motorsport.
Learn More About 3D Printing in Automotive
As we have seen through all these examples, 3D printing has already been proven repeatedly to offer significant advantages to the supplier, the OEM, and the consumer when it’s leveraged creatively to reduce time to market and improve vehicle performance. In some cases, 3D printing technology is pushing boundaries and helping achieve entirely new possibilities in design and production. In others, the technology is lowering production costs and saving time.
As the understanding of the value and realities of 3D printing continues to spread through the industry, and as the technology and available material base grow ever more versatile, additive technology will continue to reshape the way we design, build, and maintain vehicles around the world.