When an industry utilizes a full potential of its current phase, it obviously moves on. Something similar is happening with the automotive sector. The automotive manufacturing industry is undergoing some exciting changes, like its journey from fuel-efficient to powerful vehicles, and from there to the green vehicles like electric vehicles. Self-directed and digitally connected vehicles are also emerging gradually. Additive manufacturing is one such change this industry is undergoing.
Why automotive manufacturers are attracted towards AM?
• Easy prototyping is the main advantage of AM which automotive thrives for.
• If this technology is adopted, automakers will also develop the competence to perform on-site fabrication to help the maintenance and repair of automotive components. This process has already been used in the industry for a range of different vehicle parts, but its uses are set to expand even further, as its application is ideally suited to automotive. Statistics as per year 2018 show that 16% of all additive manufacturing was used in the automotive industry.
• Similarly, they can adapt new business models by innovating and modifying the supply chain and products to better suit the market responses. Unlike more traditional types of engineering and design, the process enables the production of automotive components far more quickly. The lengthy design process can be vastly shortened, with simply a click of the mouse to change part of the model. Different manufacturers may choose to use the available technology in different ways, but there are a number of different components which could be produced by this method.
• AM is used in exhausts and emissions: Aluminum alloys are typically used for this application, via selective laser melting to create cooling vents. This allows parts to get out onto the market far more quickly and also enables changes to be made with the minimum of fuss.
• It is attracting manufacturers because it is diverse and can be used from classic spare parts, to tools, to parts that are used as end products. So it’s kind of one solution for many objectives. Its use in Fluid handling also attracts automotive manufacturers towards AM. Selective laser melting and electron beam melting are utilized with aluminium alloys. These techniques can be used to make pumps and valves within the fluid handling system.
• Also, one of the most conclusive advantages of AM is the high degree of design freedom with a minimum time frame. It best suits today’s competitive and fast-paced market. Additive Manufacturing is widely used in Exterior production and has proven very effective. Using selective laser sintering, polymers are currently used to manufacture windbreakers and bumpers.
• The ease in the manufacturing process is one more reason for the automotive industry to adapt AM on a growing scale. Hot work steels and polymers can be used together with a variety of additive manufacturing processes such as selective laser sintering, selective laser melting and fused deposition modelling for prototypes, casting and customized tooling.
The above uses in the automotive industry are used by both small companies and large international conglomerates.
• It is believed by the experts, that adapting AM can bring in enormous savings in the production processes of the companies. The use of additive manufacturing will not only help save resources as time and money but also will help to improve upon supplier bottlenecks and delays in target attainment.
• Prototyping a jig or fixture to test its performance is sometimes critical and can be accomplished with 3D printing faster than ever before.
• Manufacturing new tooling aids with traditional methods is inherently cost-prohibitive, particularly considering the low volumes.
• Spare parts are yet another application of 3D printing in automotive. Many of these parts are no longer in production, and the tooling required to manufacture them either doesn’t exist or is in poor condition. Manufacturing new tooling aids with traditional methods is inherently cost-prohibitive, particularly considering the low volumes.
As the Human race is an evolved form of an animal race trying to cope with the changing needs of the surroundings, additive manufacturing will most probably be the future of the automotive evolution!
Incredible AM Pvt. Ltd = Metal 3D printing
Incredible AM Pvt. Ltd has been one of the pioneers in India for metal 3D printing with our state-of-the-art plant in Pune, India.
3D Incredible is a service bureau providing solutions for additive manufacturing right from concept, designing, printing and post-processing and quality control and assurance. Incredible is a one-stop solution for all your 3d printing requirements.
It has in-house facilities for Concept/idea, Preproduction, Designing, 3D Printing, Post-process, Quality Testing /Assurance and Training. Incredible serves the Medical, Aerospace, Automotive and all kinds of engineering industries with all the expertise, certifications and rich experience to provide not only parts but complete solutions.
Conclusion:
Although the automotive industry has been quick to adopt additive manufacturing and to use it in a variety of applications, there are far more possibilities which lie ahead, particularly with the use of different materials.
