3D printers: what is their use in the automotive industry?

3D printers are a means of recreating, using all kinds of materials, completely identical real objects. Just as texts were once printed with total precision, objects can now also be reproduced, but what use can be made of them in the automotive sector?

3D technology really catches people’s attention; in fact, from the little research one can do, it seems that if you have the right printer and materials, you could be capable of recreating practically anything.

Imagine that we were able to create the car of our dreams, every detail, its parts, in short, the car you had always imagined, and that moreover it is not a video game, but is real, tangible and works.

All this could become a reality in the future once 3D technology advances to the point of offering this kind of solution.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about 3D printers is the fact that their operation is very similar to that of a traditional one; it seems like something that

people cannot understand, since one device produces writing on paper and another produces any kind of object.

The real problem is that it is a really young and expensive technology that is still very far from reaching people’s homes, yet it shows genuine potential.

Within the automotive sector, few companies use this type of technology to manufacture parts or for their production system; however, some, such as BMW, have been using this technology for years, in fact the German manufacturer has used it since 1991.

However, Strali is the best example of the use of this technology, since we are talking about a car manufactured entirely using a 3D printer, which, by the way, took a total of 44 hours to produce!

But how exactly do they work?

In summary, and so that everyone can understand it without being overly technical, the printer scans a part to create a 3D model on the computer.

After this, the printer recreates the part based on the 3D model captured by the computer, which of course can be modified by the computer to change certain characteristics. The figure is built up through thin layers of powdered metal.

Of course, one of the greatest uses of this technology is the ability to create figures or objects generated by computer, or prototypes and parts designed entirely from scratch.

Personalization will be one of the major applications that a 3D printer will have at the domestic level. For example, a person may want a specific grip for their car’s gear lever, with the design of the IronMan helmet; thanks to this printer, you will be able to design it yourself and print it, or download and print designs from people all over the world.

In the automotive world, there is a clear utility especially in the classic car market. The parts of these cars are really old and have not been sold for a long time; however, if they can be designed exactly as they were, you will be able to restore at home that classic that has been gathering dust for so many years.

Undoubtedly, a really interesting technology with endless uses and potential, though for now too expensive, so as with everything, we will have to wait for it to become commonplace.