News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
SLM Solutions just demonstrated the productivity of its new 12-laser NXG XII 600 PBF system with Porsche. The Porsche advanced powertrain engineering department focuses on large powertrain applications, such as the E-drive housing and cylinder blocks or cylinder heads in additive manufacturing.
Lighter, more rigid, more compact: as reported this morning by 3D printing partner SLM Solutions, Porsche has produced its first complete housing for an electric drive using 3D printing. The 3D printed E-Drive housing on the engine-gearbox unit produced using the additive laser fusion process passed all the quality and stress tests without any problems.
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.
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.
Every day, industries across the world face unique and interlinking challenges as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. For the automotive industry, it’s a complex picture in which there are both hurdles and opportunities. In this feature, Eric Pallarés, Chief Technology Officer at BCN3D, considers the impact of this tumultuous year on the automotive industry and how additive manufacturing can help.
Sometimes a photo is worth more than a thousand words. This is definitely one of those times: Rolls Royce (part of the BMW Group, one of the most active in implementing AM for production) just showed off a large batch of DfAM optimized and serially 3D printed automotive metal parts.
Larger parts seem to be the trend for metal 3D printing lately. Maybe not yet mass produced large parts but certainly some big one-offs for custom luxury and racing cars. Leveraging the expertise and AM capabilities at AM and engineering services provider MIMO Technick, the Papadakis Racing team built an impressively large 3D printed turbo manifold for it latest racing vehicle.
Leavine Family Racing selected the MakerBot‘s METHOD X 3D printer to leverage MakerBot’s portfolio of materials and advanced thermoplastics available for both rapid prototyping and end-use parts. METHOD’s ability to print at extremely high temperatures was also a benefit for Leavine, which needed materials with high strength and high heat resistance for race parts. The team opted for three MakerBot METHOD X 3D printers, two for the garage and one that could be set up in Leavine’s office or taken on the road for use on-site at races.
Volkswagen purchased two Stratasys J850 printers to enhance its prototyping capabilities and to build new automotive design capabilities into its creative process. The J850 is a powerful tool for car manufacturers because it can accomplish multi-material manufacturing tasks in color. The Volkswagen Pre-Series-Center is 3D printing a wide range of ultra-realistic prototypes for both interior and exterior applications, which helps the company drive further innovation in new vehicle design.
EV truck manufacturers are emerging as leading innovators in manufacturing. After Quantron used VJET X technology to produce an engine housing, Nikola Corporation has now invested in a large-format FFF additive manufacturing system, the BigRep PRO, to streamline the design and manufacturing processes of their zero-emission battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles, electric vehicle drivetrains, vehicle components, energy storage systems, and hydrogen station infrastructure.