While purchasing a fully 3D printed car from a dealership isn’t yet a reality, 3D printing has been instrumental in automotive development for years. Recently, its applications are expanding rapidly within automotive manufacturing itself, offering transformative potential across the industry.
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, brings substantial advantages to automotive supply chains, unlocking diverse production capabilities. The technology is becoming increasingly accessible and cost-effective, enabling companies to integrate in-house additive manufacturing to bolster factory floor operations. The emergence of robust new materials facilitates the creation of high-precision, functional 3D printed parts. These parts can serve as final components, provide opportunities for mass customization, and deliver high performance. However, this is merely scratching the surface of 3D printing’s impact on the automotive sector.
Explore nine critical ways 3D printing is driving innovation within the automotive industry, spanning from initial design phases to manufacturing processes and beyond.
3D Printing for Automotive Design and Rapid Prototyping
Traditionally, prototyping has been the most prevalent application of 3D printing within the automotive sector. The remarkable acceleration of prototyping speeds offered by 3D printing has made rapid prototyping practically synonymous with the technology. This has fundamentally changed automotive product development.
Automotive designers utilizing 3D printing can swiftly produce physical prototypes of components or assemblies, ranging from simple interior elements to complete dashboards or even scaled-down car models. Rapid prototyping empowers companies to transform concepts into tangible proofs of concept. These concepts can then evolve into high-fidelity prototypes that closely mirror the final product, guiding products through validation stages towards eventual mass production.
Prototyping was once a time-consuming and costly process, especially with multiple design iterations. 3D printing enables the creation of highly realistic, representative, and functional prototypes within a single day, at significantly lower costs compared to traditional manufacturing methods. Desktop 3D printers empower engineering and design teams to integrate this technology in-house, accelerating iteration cycles and shortening the path from initial idea to finished product, thereby enhancing overall product development workflows.
1. Accelerating Automotive Innovation with Same-Day 3D Printed Prototypes
Ford designers harnessed the speed of Formlabs 3D printers to prototype the Ford Puma lettering in mere hours, showcasing the rapid iteration possible with 3d Printing Automotive applications.
At Ford’s Rapid Technology Center in Merkenich, Germany, a variety of 3D printing technologies are employed to generate prototypes with exceptionally quick turnaround times. Instead of outsourcing jobs with lead times of several weeks, engineers and designers can have physical designs in hand within hours.
This in-house capability allows for same-day prototype production, enabling designers to iterate through multiple designs in just a few hours. Bruno Alves, an additive manufacturing expert at Ford, emphasizes the advantages of physical prototypes over purely digital models.
For instance, Formlabs 3D printers were used to prototype the lettering for the rear of the Ford Puma. This allowed designers to physically assess how lines and shadows would appear under different lighting conditions. “The printer’s speed and effectiveness for this kind of lettering allowed us to offer designers the option to iterate rapidly,” Alves explains. “While lighting simulations are possible in CATIA or other software, the tactile experience and observation of reflections on a physical prototype are invaluable.”
For a deeper understanding of how 3D printing is powering innovation at automotive giants, watch our webinar featuring Bruno Alves from Ford Motor Co. and Christian Kleylein from Brose.
WEBINAR
In Conversation With Ford and Brose: Scaling 3D Printing in the Automotive Industry
Join Christian Kleylein, Technologist at Brose, a leading Tier 1 automotive supplier, and Bruno Alves, Additive Manufacturing Expert at Ford, as they discuss how 3D printing is fueling innovation across the automotive landscape, from design to manufacturing and beyond.
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2. 3D Printing for Lightweighting Automotive Components
IGESTEK, a Spanish automotive supplier, specializes in developing lightweight solutions using plastics and composite materials. They integrate 3D printing throughout their product development process, from initial concept design to geometry verification and detailed design for functional prototypes. They also utilize 3D printing for rapid tooling in automotive manufacturing, creating inserts for plastic injection molds and thermoforming tools for composites.
Topology optimization is a key focus in lightweighting strategies. IGESTEK employs Autodesk Fusion 360 to generate multiple design solutions based on specified parameters, optimizing for weight reduction in automotive parts.
For a suspension mount, IGESTEK developed a multi-material architecture combining metal 3D printing with generative geometries and lighter composite materials. This innovative approach resulted in a 40% weight reduction compared to existing market solutions while maintaining performance. These parts were prototyped on the Form 3L large format 3D printer, capable of handling multiple designs simultaneously, further accelerating iteration and testing.
For more insights into lightweighting automotive parts with 3D printing, including two additional methods employed by IGESTEK, read our detailed story with IGESTEK.
Webinar
Generative Design for Lightweight Automotive Parts with 3D Printing
In this webinar, Formlabs Product Marketing Lead Jennifer Milne provides an accessible introduction to generative design and its application in mechanical part design, including a step-by-step Fusion 360 tutorial for creating a lightweight bracket, demonstrating 3d printing automotive benefits.
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3. Concept Car Realization Through Automotive 3D Printing
Vital Auto, a UK-based industrial design studio, collaborates with major automotive brands like Volvo, Nissan, Lotus, McLaren, Geely, and TATA. When OEMs require rapid experimentation, they turn to Vital Auto to transform initial sketches, drawings, or technical specifications into fully realized physical forms using advanced 3D printing automotive techniques.
Anthony Barnicott, Design Engineer and head of additive manufacturing at Vital Auto, states, “We’ve incorporated 3D printing from the beginning. We aimed to integrate it into our manufacturing processes not only to reduce costs but also to offer customers greater design diversity and creative freedom.”
Today, Barnicott manages a comprehensive 3D printing department equipped with 14 large-format FDM printers, three Formlabs Form 3L large-format SLA 3D printers, and five Fuse 1 SLS 3D printers. “Our printer capacity has been at 100% utilization, 24/7, almost from day one. We use these printers across all areas of our concept and design work. Typically, Fuse 1 printers are used for production-based parts, while Form 3L printers are used for concept-based parts,” Barnicott explains.
3D printing not only enhances product development speed and quality but also attracts new clientele. Vital Auto’s customers often seek access to the latest technologies and cutting-edge materials for their component manufacturing, leveraging the power of 3d printing automotive innovation.
“The advancements in 3D printing technology over the past decade are phenomenal. When I started, producing low-volume, niche vehicles with some of today’s products would have been impossible. Now, I can produce these parts cost-effectively and quickly,” Barnicott adds.
For deeper insights into specific applications of 3D printed automotive parts at Vital Auto, explore our in-depth story with the Vital Auto team.
White Paper
Rapid Prototyping Guide for Automotive Product Development
This guide explores rapid prototyping within the product development process, its applications in the automotive industry, and available rapid prototyping tools for today’s automotive product development teams, highlighting the role of 3d printing automotive.
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3D Printing in Automotive Manufacturing Processes
The rapid evolution of 3D printers and high-performance materials has expanded the use of additive manufacturing to produce parts capable of withstanding demanding environments in automotive manufacturing.
3D printing in automotive manufacturing offers reduced overhead and increased efficiency through manufacturing aids like custom jigs and fixtures. It also enables low-volume rapid tooling for traditional manufacturing processes such as injection molding and thermoforming.
3D printed end-use parts are increasingly common in the automotive industry, particularly for aftermarket, custom, or replacement parts. In these scenarios, traditional production methods can be prohibitively expensive and time-consuming compared to the agility of 3d printing automotive solutions.
4. 3D Printed Molds and Dies for Automotive Trim
Makra Pro has pioneered a novel technique for molding leather trim pieces, a popular material in luxury cars, using 3D printed dies, showcasing innovative 3d printing automotive applications.
Makra Pro, an additive manufacturing service provider, has developed an innovative process for shaping leather, a challenging trim material in luxury vehicles. This process utilizes 3D printed dies for shaping and embossing leather, in collaboration with luxury car, motorcycle, and motor home manufacturers.
Using molds printed on a Form 3 printer, Makra Pro’s technique employs expanding foam to evenly distribute pressure across stretched leather panels. As the foam hardens, the leather conforms to the die’s shape.
These finished leather parts can then be applied to car door panels or seat covers. A prominent tuning company specializing in limited-edition luxury automobiles uses these molded leather parts for wall and ceiling panels in vehicle enhancements, demonstrating high-end 3d printing automotive applications.
Explore our in-depth story with Makra Pro or download our white paper for more rapid tooling applications, including injection molding and thermoforming, highlighting the versatility of 3d printing automotive tooling.
White Paper
Rapid Tooling Guide for Automotive Manufacturing
This white paper explores the integration of rapid tooling with traditional manufacturing processes like injection molding, thermoforming, and casting in the automotive industry, emphasizing the role of 3d printing automotive for efficient tooling solutions.
Read the White Paper
5. Streamlining Automotive Production with 3D Printed Manufacturing Aids
Dorman Products utilizes Grey Resin for 3D printing go/no-go test jigs with +/- 0.05 mm accuracy, improving quality control in automotive part manufacturing through 3d printing automotive aids.
Dorman Products manages a vast database of over 100,000 parts for numerous vehicle models. “Historically, we’ve released between 4,000 and 5,000 new parts annually,” notes Eric Tryson, Mechanical Design Team Manager, highlighting the scale of automotive aftermarket parts.
Chris Allebach, Additive Manufacturing Lead at Dorman Products, emphasizes the agility required for aftermarket suppliers. “OEMs have dedicated teams designing single parts, often years before a new car release. We need to ensure our replacements are reliable and quickly available on the market,” he explains.
Before integrating 3D printers, the lack of custom test fixturing hindered rapid development. Machining was too expensive and time-consuming.
“Now, with 3D printers, we develop test fixtures and gauges alongside product prototyping. By the time we finalize a design, we also have the fixture to test it. We aim to be proactive,” Allebach states, illustrating the efficiency gains of 3d printing automotive tools.
Since acquiring their first 3D printer a decade ago, Dorman has steadily added more, continuously maximizing capacity and utilizing the extensive material library on their Formlabs SLA printers, including a large-format Form 3L.
“Our first 3D printer paid for itself within two months. When justifying ROI for Formlabs printers, we see payoff in months, not years. This gives leadership confidence in 3D printing as a worthwhile investment,” Tryson concludes, demonstrating the rapid return on investment for 3d printing automotive applications.
Dorman Products employs 3D printing in several other applications. Read our article to explore them.
White Paper
3D Printing for Jigs & Fixtures in Automotive Manufacturing
For automotive manufacturers, maximizing production speed while maintaining high part quality is crucial. Jigs and fixtures made with 3d printing automotive technologies simplify manufacturing and assembly, enhancing reliability, efficiency, reducing cycle times, and improving worker safety.
Download the White Paper
6. 3D Printing End-Use Aftermarket Automotive Parts
BTI Gauges designs custom telemetry displays for high-performance cars, utilizing 3d printing automotive for specialized aftermarket components.
BTI Gauges emerged by addressing a market gap. Founder and owner Brandon Talkmitt sought customizable telemetry displays for his high-performance car, aiming to consolidate multiple performance metrics into a single gauge to declutter his windshield.
Unsuccessful in finding a suitable gauge, Talkmitt began prototyping gauge casings on a 3D printer, testing them in high-heat car environments and ovens. He refined the design to suit various car models.
Demand quickly arose from drivers of 1990s Japanese race cars, Lamborghinis, Dodge Vipers, and other high-performance vehicles.
Talkmitt evaluated various 3D printing options, including expensive powder bed fusion and resin printers, and compact SLS options. However, high costs and complex material procurement posed barriers. The Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer emerged as a viable solution. “When I saw the Fuse 1 samples, I thought, ‘If my parts can look this good…’ I tested heat tolerance, finishing, and painting, and everything worked,” Talkmitt recalls, highlighting the suitability of 3d printing automotive for end-use parts.
During recent supply chain disruptions, BTI Gauges faced shortages of touchscreens and other components. In-house Fuse 1 3D printing allowed for immediate design pivots without incurring tooling costs or managing obsolete inventory.
“I would have been stuck with unusable plastic, but with Fuse 1, changing files took just 30 minutes. Without it, I’d definitely be in trouble,” Talkmitt emphasizes, showcasing the agility of 3d printing automotive in mitigating supply chain risks.
Learn more about producing end-use aftermarket parts in our in-depth story with BTI Gauges.
White Paper
In-House SLS 3D Printing for Automotive Parts: A Value Proposition Analysis
This white paper compares the value of in-house SLS 3D printing versus outsourcing SLS parts for automotive applications, helping businesses assess the best strategy for leveraging 3d printing automotive technologies.
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3D Printing for High-Performance Automotive and Motorcycle Applications
3D printing’s toolless fabrication is ideal for motorsports, enabling rapid, cost-effective low-volume and custom manufacturing. Eliminating tooling time and costs provides flexibility for quick product revisions and faster market entry. It enhances design freedom, allowing complex shapes like lattices without added costs, crucial for high-performance 3d printing automotive parts.
In-house 3D printing empowers motorsport teams to accelerate development, protect intellectual property, test more concepts, and gain a competitive edge, all leveraging the advantages of 3d printing automotive for performance enhancement.
7. Enhancing Engine Performance with Iterative 3D Printed Automotive Designs
Forge Motorsport’s redesigned 3D printed inlet duct reduced intake air temperature by 6°C, demonstrating performance improvements through iterative 3d printing automotive design.
Forge Motorsport, specializing in aftermarket performance car parts, uses 3D printing for prototyping. For the Toyota Yaris GR, Forge engineers identified opportunities to improve the inlet duct design—repositioning the airbox opening and increasing part size—to reduce intake air temperature (IAT) fluctuations and lower average temperature, critical for consistent engine performance.
They reverse-engineered the OEM part using 3D scanning and virtually modified the design in SOLIDWORKS, simulating airflow. After creating a workable 3D model, they prototyped it in fast-printing Draft Resin to confirm airbox opening placement and overall size compatibility. With fit confirmed, they reprinted the part in Tough 1500 Resin, a strong, impact-resistant material, painted it black, and provided it to a customer for testing, showcasing robust 3d printing automotive materials.
The customer tested the 3D printed part in his Yaris GR for five months, collecting performance data across various conditions. Stock part IAT fluctuated between 42-45 °C with significant variations during races. The redesigned 3D printed part in Tough 1500 Resin reduced IAT to 35-36 °C, with lower fluctuations. Confident in the improved performance, Forge proceeded to manufacture the final carbon fiber production part, validated by successful 3d printing automotive prototyping.
For more on reverse engineering workflows using 3D scanning, watch our webinar with Forge Motorsport and Peel3D, exploring advanced techniques in 3d printing automotive design.
WEBINAR
3D Scanning and 3D Printing for Automotive Performance Upgrades with Forge Motorsport
Join Formlabs, Solid Print3D, and peel 3d for a webinar featuring Forge Motorsport, manufacturers of aftermarket performance upgrades like valves, intercoolers, and actuators, discussing the use of 3d printing automotive for performance enhancement.
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8. Carbon Fiber Molding and 3D Printed End-Use Parts for Formula Racing
TU Berlin’s Formula Student team drastically reduced costs and lead time for carbon fiber parts by 3D printing molds in-house, demonstrating cost-effective 3d printing automotive manufacturing.
Formula Student is an annual engineering design competition where student teams worldwide build and race formula-style cars. The Formula Student Team TU Berlin (FaSTTUBe), a large team of 80-90 students, develops new racing cars annually since 2005. They integrated a Form 3 SLA 3D printer to save time, reduce costs, and create carbon fiber parts economically, leveraging 3d printing automotive for competitive advantage.
3D printing molds for composites provided greater flexibility, shorter lead times, and cost savings for key parts like steering wheel chassis. Machining the mold would have required expensive tools, and outsourcing would have taken weeks and cost nearly €1000. 3D printing the mold in-house cost only €10 in materials and 1.5 hours of work, significantly reducing costs through 3d printing automotive tooling.
The team also uses 3D printing for prototyping, lightweight parts, and end-use components. Read our story with them for more details on these applications, showcasing the broad utility of 3d printing automotive.
3D printing has provided FaSTTUBe team with new flexibility, design freedom, and cost savings. Students gain valuable experience in prototyping, tooling, and end-use part fabrication, skills beneficial for their future engineering careers, fostered by hands-on 3d printing automotive application.
White Paper
Carbon Fiber Part Manufacturing with 3D Printed Automotive Molds
Download this white paper for composite mold design guidelines and step-by-step guides for prepreg and hand laminating methods to create carbon fiber parts, optimizing 3d printing automotive tooling for composite materials.
Download the White Paper
9. 3D Printed Spare Engine Parts for Motorcycles
The intake manifold, 3D printed in Rigid 10K Resin, recorded lower post-race temperatures than the original aluminum part, showcasing improved performance with 3d printing automotive spare parts.
Andrea Pirazzini, a motorcycle enthusiast since 2012, challenged himself to design and fabricate a functional, safe 3D printed intake manifold for his bike. Previous attempts using FDM printing failed due to airtightness issues.
Pirazzini used 3D scanning and Autodesk Fusion 360 to reverse engineer the design. Scanning the four-stroke engine with frame and carburetor aided in correct sizing and optimal positioning of the manifold. CAD software ensured alignment of head inlet and carburetor diameters, preventing pressure drops and turbulence, optimizing design using 3d printing automotive principles.
The new manifold design was printed on a Form 3 using Rigid 10K Resin at 100-micron layer height, creating a smooth, layer-line-free surface. Sandpaper finishing further smoothed the surface. Unlike FDM manifolds requiring internal and external sealing, SLA printing produced solid, waterproof parts, ideal for demanding 3d printing automotive applications.
The Form 3 printed manifold has endured high and low temperatures and remains mounted on Pirazzini’s pit bike. Thermal imaging revealed Rigid 10K Resin’s superior thermal performance: the 3D printed manifold with cooling fins recorded 40-50°C lower temperature than a classic aluminum manifold. After a 20-25 minute race at 33°C ambient temperature, the 3D printed manifold was touchable without burning, showcasing thermal benefits of 3d printing automotive parts.
The project succeeded in improving engine function. Design enhancements led to a ~10% horsepower increase compared to the standard machined manifold, within championship rules, demonstrating performance gains from innovative 3d printing automotive design.
Explore Pirazzini’s project details in our detailed case study, highlighting the creation of heat-resistant end-use parts and spares for motorsport using 3d printing automotive technologies.
White Paper
3D Scanning and 3D Printing for Automotive Reverse Engineering
Explore applications of 3D scanning and 3D printing in replication, restoration, reverse engineering, and metrology within the automotive industry. Download our white paper to learn how to get started with 3d printing automotive reverse engineering workflows.
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Bonus: The Evolution of 3D Printed Cars
Amidst the 3D printing hype of the early 2010s, excitement grew around large-scale 3D printing, including entire 3D printed cars. However, even proponents of “fully” 3D printed cars shifted focus to printing structural and trim components like chassis, body, and seats, excluding engines and electromechanical assemblies, reflecting realistic 3d printing automotive capabilities.
Companies like Local Motors and EDAG created concept cars with 3D printed chassis and bodies, showcased at events like SEMA in the mid-2010s. However, none reached serial production, highlighting the challenges in mass-producing fully 3d printed automotive vehicles.
Besides weather resistance, the cover on EDAG’s Light Cocoon provides absolute freedom when it comes to design and individualization. (source: EDAG)
Currently, Divergent 3D and XEV appear closest to serial production of 3D printed automotive components and vehicles.
Divergent 3D uses generative design and 3D printing to create custom auto parts. Their metal 3D printers construct components for OEMs, including Aston Martin. Their first public project is the Czinger 21C hypercar, showcasing advanced 3d printing automotive in high-performance vehicles.
XEV’s YoYo, an Italian-developed electric car, may be the first “mass market” 3D printed electric car shipping to customers. Except for chassis, seats, and windshield, all visible parts are 3D printed. Extensive 3D printing reduced component count from 2,000 to 57, resulting in a lightweight 450 kg design, demonstrating efficient 3d printing automotive for mass production.
The YoYo is the first “mass market” 3D printed electric car currently shipping to customers, representing a significant step in 3d printing automotive for consumer vehicles.
The Future of 3D Printing in Automotive Innovation
As demonstrated, 3D printing has repeatedly proven its value to suppliers, OEMs, and consumers in the automotive industry. Creative application of 3D printing reduces time to market and enhances vehicle performance. In many instances, 3D printing technology expands design and production possibilities. In others, it lowers production costs and saves time, offering versatile solutions for 3d printing automotive needs.
As understanding of 3D printing’s value and practicalities grows within the automotive industry, and as technology and material options become more versatile, additive technology will continue reshaping vehicle design, manufacturing, and maintenance globally. The future of 3d printing automotive is bright, promising continued innovation and transformation.
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