BMW Group, pioneer in 3D additive manufacturing methods

3D-printed parts

The manufacturing of parts through additive methods is being increasingly used in the automotive sector, although its use is not new, since it has been used for quite some time, but today this technology is becoming more known to the end user.

BMW Group has been using this process for 25 years, better known as 3D printing, and which is among the main production methods of the future. At the Technology Office that BMW Group has in Mountain View, Silicon Valley, a first test is being carried out with the new CLIP (Continuous Liquid Interface Production) technology. It is faster than other processes, since a beam of light is used to expose the surfaces.

3D printing is currently applied in different areas and its inclusion in future series production will not take long. Spare parts, custom parts and even applications in the molding process represent part of the potential and the important progress that this technology represents.

Ergonomic tool 3D-printed

The parts initially produced were mostly for “concept cars”. Little by little they were applied to other concepts. The prototype parts were produced on the company’s stereolithography machine. Currently additive manufacturing is used in areas that require small batches of custom and complex components, such as pre-development, validation, vehicle analysis and concept models.

Another area where the brand applies 3D printing is in tool manufacturing or operational resources. In fact, in the new i models of BMW, these technologies have been used. Much of the prototypes are produced using additive methods.

Classic vehicles also benefit from this technology. A range of possibilities opens up for generating components that were not previously available and which, thanks to the scanning of three-dimensional components, allow replacement parts (restorations) to be made, especially if they are collector’s units.

The applications are not only for the automotive sector, since BMW Group, through the Rapid Technologies Center, made custom seats for wheelchairs for each player of the British Paralympic basketball team in 2012.

3D-printed parts

For BMW workers, they presented a 3D-printed ergonomic tool that protects against excessive pressure on the thumb joints while performing certain assembly activities. It is flexible, so it is customized to fit the shape and size of a specific worker’s hand.

Additive manufacturing methods are also applied to metal parts, used in small series production. The water pumps used by the Bavarian brand’s racing cars competing in the DTM (German Touring Car Championship), are also 3D printed. It consists of an aluminum alloy and has proven to be an element that, under high working conditions, has delivered excellent performance.

The additive manufacturing of metal parts requires considerably greater experience in process engineering and is very different from the 3D printing methods used in consumer industries.

About 100,000 components are produced per year for internal customers. The team at the Rapid Technologies Center at the Research and Innovation Center (FIZ) of BMW Group in Munich, produces everything from small plastic containers to the design of samples and chassis components for functional testing. Depending on the procedure carried out and the size of the part, sample parts can be available in just a few days.

Source | BMW