3D Printing Shifts Into Fourth Gear

3D printing is accelerating in the auto industry, shifting from prototyping and tooling to finished parts. Manufacturers of consumer, commercial and military vehicles are producing original and replacement parts with plastic and metal, which means Formula One drivers are not the only ones benefiting from 3D printing.

It's about time.

Faced with years-long new product design timelines, automobile manufacturers were 3D printing's early adopters more than 30 years ago. Rapid and iterative prototyping promised new designs and components that would cost less and go to market sooner. But slow speeds, weak software tools, limited materials and poor print quality hobbled the industry for two decades.

Nevertheless, innovative suppliers and users pushed the technology to do more. GM has used 3D printing (3DP) since 1989 and now has more than 700 employees trained in 3D printing. The company has 3D printers in production facilities worldwide, including 17 new Stratasys FDM printers in 2019. Aaron Pearson, Stratasys vice president, reports 75% of the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette prototype was 3D printed, while GM shifts to more production-related applications.

Today, the auto industry uses 3D printing for design validation, prototyping, fit and function testing, tooling, jigs, operator aids and, yes, final parts. If 3D printing was a transmission, the auto industry is in fourth gear. 

As anyone with a digital 2D printing press will understand, simply installing a 3D printer is not enough for vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to succeed. The right combination of design concepts, workflow software, materials, finishing, versatile 3D printers and skilled personnel must be in place first.

More than 25 3D printer manufacturers count the automotive industry as a core market. One provider, HP, is well-known to 2D printing companies.

"A digital transformation in the auto industry is underway," said Ramon Pastor, HP's global head and GM of 3D Metals and responsible for its metal jet offering. "What positions HP to make a significant impact on the market is decades of research and expertise in printing, precision mechanics, systems engineering, data intelligence, software, microfluidics, materials science and design. Being able to share and leverage that expertise across our 2D and 3D businesses and the various technologies is truly unique."

Notably, numerous universities and technical schools educate students on designing for 3D printing and using the technology.

Monash University (Australia) students learn additive manufacturing (AM) and live it by designing, building and racing cars with metal 3D printed parts. Germany's ambitious "Industrialization and Digitalization of AM for Automotive Series Processes" aims to make metal 3D printing an industrial-scale process. In 2019 alone, Germany invested more than $77 million in programs to advance the integration of AM in automotive processes.

BMW's 3DP initiatives include a center of excellence to develop, refine and expand 3D printing throughout its supply chain. Its Additive Manufacturing Campus in Munich trains employees in 3DP technologies while producing components and prototypes with about 50 metal and polymer processing systems. Another 50-plus systems are operating at global production sites. BMW 3D prints functional, rigid metal and polymer vehicle body, power train and passenger cabin components for its i8 Roadster and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars series production.

While impressive, the amount of 3D printed parts remains a small fraction of any automobile's total number of components. In theory, broad adoption will occur as the technology evolves with higher quality, faster speeds and a more comprehensive range of materials. However, significant hurdles remain. 

Mike Ramsey, Gartner's vice president covering the automotive industry, notes 3D printing inhibitors include part validation (quality, fit, function and durability) and process integration (adapting to the high-volume workflow of large manufacturing operations). But 3DP's primary inhibitor, according to Ramsey, is the fact that "carmakers are not behind for not using it."

This attitude is why the 2D printing industry is slow to adopt 3D printing.

I will grant you that most of the 25,000 printing companies in the U.S. do not have a viable 3DP market opportunity. However, providers focused on POP marketing materials, scenic fabrication, and sign and display do. These "2D" companies should be using 3D printers from Massivit, Mimaki or others to expand into complementary offerings.

The rest of the 2D printing world should take the auto industry's approach and use 3D printing to improve production processes and customize presses, printers and bindery equipment. This will Improve manual assembly processes, making them faster and less prone to causing injuries.

Shift gears and accelerate the implementation of 3D printing. Don't be left at the starting line by your competition.