The potential 3D printing brings in the auto industry in a variety of ways and develops further. The advantages include reducing parts prices, innovations in production and potential supply chain solutions.
At this point, 3D tech is confronted with problems of how little regulation, but if solutions come into play, the spread of technology will be more and more sensible. Harold SearsHead of the Advisory Board for Auto -Additiverecently told a Cieca audience about webinar.
A developing technology
Sears performed with an alternative term for 3D printing: Additive Manufacturing.
“It is really the process to create a three -dimensional object from a digital file by defending successive material layers one after the other,” he said. “It is different than with conventional manufacturing technology … where they remove materials … the good part of it is that in the end there is actually very little waste in this process.”
He explained that the technology developed from the early days because it only produced a part.
These were often “very fragile tight parts that could be broken or destroyed very easily,” he said.
Screenshot from the presentation with several OEMs uses 3D printing.
They have now developed to share that can be produced and consist of robust materials, and 3D printing is now part of numerous processes of automobile manufacturers, from concept prototypes to production parts for customer-selling vehicles.
Sears called some companies that use technology, including Cadillac For layer patterns that have printed the top gear lever lever and performance parts in a light titanium to reduce the weight.
Ford Motor Companyhe said, use a plastic brake boundary that was converted from metal in the Shelby GT500. The redesign, he said, was a cost memory. Ford also uses a 3D-printed metal wheel lock nut with a key pattern that can be generated randomly or adapted for branding.
Sears also mentioned a polymer tool BMW Used to apply badges on vehicles. The tool, as he emphasized, previously consisted of heavier aluminum, was expensive and weighed more. The new one, he said, is much easier and easier for the operators to handle, which is exploited by less damage to the vehicle during the application.
“If you are an operator in the management, repeat this process over hundreds and hundreds of times a day,” he said. “So if you can get a tool that showed several pounds over these hundreds of times a day, they appreciate it very much and tend to be more satisfied with your job and do a better job with it, so I think that this is a great application of tools.”
Sears' last example came from PorscheWhich has approved the use of 3D printing of spare parts in classics – cases in which former supplier companies may no longer exist.
“Applications have now been approved and they can simply go to a website and order them, and it is printed 3D and sent to them,” he said. “There is probably little to no inventory of this part on the shelves.”
Opportunities, understanding and regulation
The 3D print has an “enormous potential” to support problems for the industry such as the supply chain by producing tools at home. However, he claimed that the technology could affect the company.
This misunderstanding, he said, ranges from the wrong estimate of the availability of materials to low awareness of technologies.
“When they talk about these technologies, many people immediately jump to the hobbyist printer – the one with whom their son or daughter carry out a robotics project,” he said. “We use a lot more industrial quality devices.”
He found that regulation also shows problems. Since this area remains “very unregulated”, there are people who print parts on inferior printers and sell to repairs. The next step for the 3D printing technology is probably the error correction, but the supervisory authorities on board and ready to invest in understanding and participation in this process has led to “previously dead ends”, said Sears.
Efforts to the task force in the industry to use a framework for new companies that used 3D tech led to the foundation of auto-additives, which made 3D printed applications such as the push-tool for bumper repair, a repair template and several tabs for headlights. The company has added actors from several prominent companies to its advisory board, OEM manufacturer, among them when examining the effects on the industry.
Under these potential effects, the Sears cost reduction, the elimination of the supply chain, sustainability and a faster turnaround time for parts listened to parts. The production of parts such as headlight tables can be sustainable by reducing landfill waste. This application can also save consumers and insurance companies considerably money by protecting an expensive part.
“I think the technologies will continue to improve, the materials will improve and be more robust. As all of this starts, it promotes the price,” he said.
Here, however, quality control is important, so Gerald PorierA consultant with Vector quadried. Since consumers can currently buy part of the notch part that they want in a non -regulated environment, it is important that an insurance certificate or a review of third -party providers is available for parts.
While the quality develops, the parts of the integrity of their traditionally produced counterparts approach. He sees the time frame in which repairers can buy 3D printed parts as “very, very soon”, and encouraged webinar participants to pursue the auto additive website for a list of supply chain partners.