Auto Alliance Thailand Reduces Production Time by 97% With Formlabs SLS 3D Printing
Auto Alliance Thailand Reduces Production Time by 97% With Formlabs SLS 3D Printing
Broken tooling and part delays cost, as Thanakorn Rungsaroj of Auto Alliance Thailand knows firsthand. Producing cars for Ford and Mazda requires complex tools that must hold up to frequent use. Many tools are metal and must be machined, limiting geometries, or require minimum order quantities for mold production — both of which have high production costs and can take two-to-three months to produce. Enter 3D printing.
By adding the Fuse 1 Ecosystem for part production, Rungsaroj reduced production time by 97%, delivering parts in a single day, keeping manufacturing up and running while reducing costs.
“3D printing technology has become a key factor in producing complex parts, and accelerating the manufacturing process.”
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Optimizing Production Efficiency
Rungsaroj is responsible for the Inline Department on the Ford production side, where he develops production processes, including adding technologies and managing costs to optimize production efficiency.
On the production line, efficiency obstacles included:
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Long production time: Producing a single part took approximately two-to-three months, from initial discussions with suppliers to receiving the finished product.
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Limitations in producing complex parts: Traditional machining and cutting technologies could not meet the requirements for producing highly complex parts.
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High production costs: Ordering custom-made parts from external suppliers was expensive, as suppliers had to create new molds and had minimum order quantity requirements.
Exploring technologies that could improve efficiencies, Rungsaroj identified 3D printing as a potential tool.
“If we didn't have a 3D printer, we would have to wait two to three months just to receive a single part. With 3D printing, all we need is a CAD file to start producing the part.”
Bringing Formlabs Printers In-House
Looking at 3D printing manufacturers, Rungsaroj selected Formlabs based on brand reputation, technological innovation, ease of use, and material versatility. Being able to swap materials makes product development easier and more efficient, enabling the team to print parts with a broad range of mechanical properties.
Auto Alliance Thailand selected the Fuse 1+ selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printer due to cost-effectiveness, including the ability to reuse unsintered powder. Additionally, the ability to print without support structures meant more design freedom as well as the high packing densities.
Printing on Fuse 1+ 30W also lowers costs and saves space by keeping inventory down. Rather than sitting on large quantities of parts, Auto Alliance can print out parts as they need them.
“We no longer need to keep a large inventory because we only store the CAD files. Whenever we need a part, we can simply print it out immediately.”
In addition to SLS, Auto Alliance is also using stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing with a Form 4, which they use for rapid prototyping as most prints can be completed in under two hours.
“Formlabs has helped us significantly reduce prototyping costs, shorten development lead times, and improve engineering efficiency. By bringing prototyping in-house, we can iterate designs faster, reduce external manufacturing expenses, and accelerate product development. The investment delivered a return within six months, making Formlabs an important part of our innovation process.”
High-Performance Materials
AutoAlliance Thailand requires a range of parts, from soft, flexible, and skin-safe protective covers to strong parts that can replace metal.
Replacing Metal Parts With Nylon 12 Powder
For Auto Alliance, replacement parts are often needed for machines and tooling. These parts, often metal, were costly to keep on hand just in case they were needed. With a Fuse 1 Ecosystem in-house, Rungsaroj can 3D these parts, such as a replacement part for a forklift, in Nylon 12 Powder.
Nylon 12 Powder has high tensile strength and environmental stability, for highly detailed parts and complex assemblies with low creep. These 3D printed parts are more lightweight than metal, while still proving the necessary strength for the job. Plus, they’re non-conductive and cost-effective compared to metal parts.
“Before we had 3D printing, we needed to keep spare parts in stock because ordering some components took a long time. Now, whenever we need a part, we just send the CAD file to the 3D printer and produce it right away.”
Parts like this Jaga gripper can be replaced by custom SLS 3D printed ones so that the collaborative robot can handle parts instead of manual operators, reducing cycle time on the vehicle assembly line while lowering tooling costs.
The cost of 3D printing a replacement part is less expensive than purchasing a metal one, while eliminating the need to store spare parts. Plus, printing enables customization, which can reduce assembly line labor.
“We can replace some metal parts with Nylon 12, which is not only lighter but also much cheaper.”
Request a Nylon Powder Sample Part
Formlabs offers seven SLS powders with a range of mechanical and visual properties. Choose a sample printed on the Fuse 1+30W to see them for yourself.
Protecting Tools With TPU 90A Powder
TPU 90A Powder is a tough elastomer with high elongation at break and superior tear strength for flexible, resilient, and skin-safe parts. AutoAlliance uses TPU 90A Powder for covers for DC tools, used for fastening during vehicle assembly. Unintentional contact of the tool with vehicle components can cause surface scratches. By 3D printing TPU covers for DC tools protects the vehicle surface from scratches while also providing workers with a more ergonomic grip.
“TPU significantly helps solve the problem of scratches on car bodies – we use it to make protective covers for tools that come into direct contact with the car body, which reduces damage and saves a tremendous amount on repair costs.”
3D printed tool covers in TPU 90A Powder help prevent scratches on car bodies while providing workers with an ergonomic grip.
Working Better
In addition to spare parts, Auto Alliance can 3D print specialized tools in-house, enabling innovation on the assembly line. Rather than outsourcing, which could take two-to-three months, Auto Alliance can take the CAD file and directly print it in a day, enabling teams to experiment and implement new ideas faster.
This DEF / AdBlue Filler Neck is a spill protector to catch drips from the container nozzle during refilling, preventing paint damage caused by DEF.
The Nano Decking Jig is used when major components like fuel tanks or exhaust systems are installed into the steel chassis. The jig is placed between a vehicle's steel chassis frame and the transmission shaft, ensuring a precise gap is maintained between the shaft and the chassis frame during installation. This prevents the components from rubbing against each other, which would cause rattles or wear later on. Additionally, the jig acts as a bumper, preventing scratches or dents on both the tank and the coated chassis frame during installation.
This 3D printed jig is placed between a vehicle's steel chassis frame and the transmission shaft to ensure precise clearance and protect the tank and chassis.
“Previously, we had to wait a long time to get new parts for testing, but now we can design and print parts in a single day, making problem-solving on the production line much faster.”
In addition to the Fuse 1 Ecosystem, Auto Alliance has a Form 4 3D printer, expanding what it’s possible to print. With SLS and SLA 3D printing in-house, Auto Alliance has improved the agility, flexibility, and speed at which they can innovate their assembly line — all while minimizing the time and cost it takes to do so.
“3D printing is not just a cool technology; it's a tool that genuinely helps us work better. It completely changes the way we think and work, and this is just the beginning.”
Explore Formlabs 3D printers or contact sales to learn more. To evaluate Formlabs materials for yourself, request a free sample part.