3D printing for the automotive industry

Steffen Schack | 15. October 2019

3D printing of components for luxury sports cars

3D printing is playing an increasingly important role in producing motor vehicles. For the manufacturing of sports cars and exclusive vehicles, more and more parts are not only used for developing or testing prototypes, but also as functional components in production vehicles.

Parts printed in 3D ensure better aerodynamics

A recent example is the co-operation project OptiAMix, in which igus® participates in addition to other partners from research and development. The project is about developing an adjustable rear spoiler that supports the motor vehicle’s driving dynamics with different adjustments, depending on the situation.

Design freedom and complete functionality of the material

One significant advantage of 3D printing is the great design freedom when designing the parts. Here, “form follows function” is given a new dimension as 3D printing can adapt every single created part exactly to the individual shape of the surrounding forms and the function. Complicated geometries can be realised quickly, design modifications carried out “overnight”. This results in a large potential for lightweight technology and supports efficient design and the reduction of vehicle emissions.

This is precisely what makes 3D printing so attractive for design engineers in the automotive industry. No matter whether plastic or metal parts are required, you can produce them easily with no minimum order quantity in 3D printing. Furthermore, there is a large variety of materials that can be used with parts printed in 3D without functionality being reduced.

Large material mix from the 3D printer

The example of the newly developed rear spoiler in project OptiAMix shows several parts made of different materials that are printed in 3D. To ensure a quiet and durable adjustment of the rear spoiler, parts produced in SLS made of the tribologically optimised iglidur polymer are used in the bearings of the wing, so that a low-friction and maintenance-free adjustment can be realised.  

Endless possibilities due to 3D printing

Several years ago, 3D printing was a method for creating moulded parts for viewing and design purposes. Today, it is possible to produce volume parts for different application areas, the properties of which are to a great extent not inferior to those produced in conventional methods of mass production. In addition, this results in entirely new possibilities regarding the exclusiveness of motor vehicles. It is no longer necessary to produce tools, so that entirely new ways are possible regarding design and function.

Find out more about 3D printing with durable and maintenance-free polymers: https://www.igus.eu/info/3d-printing?L=en

More information about special solutions for the automotive sector: https://www.igus.eu/info/industries-automotive-industry?L=en

You can find more information on project OptiAMix here: http://optiamix.de/