How 3D Printing Is Becoming Crucial For Automobile Industries?

As technology is advancing rapidly, many industries are taking advantage by incorporating these technologies for their benefit. One such technological wonder is 3D printing. This printing technique has revolutionized the industries in many ways. The automobile industry has particularly taken advantage of this technology. While you can not have a 3D printed car for use now, there are many other ways that 3D printers have helped car manufacturers.

3D printing allows automobile industries to add value to their supply chain and speed up the manufacturing process. These printing techniques are not limited to modeling but large format printers help automobile manufacturers to create small parts in-house at a lower cost. The use of 3D printers in automobile industries is still at a nascent stage, there is a lot more to come.

The use of 3D printers is becoming crucial for the automobile industry because of the many advantages this technology provides. Here is how it is helping the industry boom.

1. Speed Up Prototype Development

Automobile designers are taking advantage of 3D printing to the fullest. With this technology, they can create a prototype of their designs without costing too much. Previously, designers used to wait for the outsourced company or the lengthy process of manufacturing a single prototype of their design. Today, with 3D printing the process can be done in no time.

Prototypes help designers get the idea of their design and its practicality. 3D printers can print accurate models of the design, thus helping automobile engineers get a vision if their idea would work in reality or not.

2. Allowed Customization At Lower Costs

Many car manufacturing industries had to outsource the customization of certain parts. This process was not only expensive but also time taking. When a car engineer is manufacturing a new car design, they need to get the work done quickly. With 3D printing, the manufacturing industries are finally able to create customized parts and designs in-house without going beyond their budget.

Many car enthusiasts like to customize their vehicles with different font designs and shapes of certain parts. Previously creating a prototype for such custom orders was costly for the industries. Most companies relied on showing a soft copy of the design to their clients. With 3D printing, car companies can create a physical prototype of the client’s design and show them how it might look.

3. Helpful In Manufacturing Tools

Manufacturing industries require certain tools and manufacturing aiding devices that can help them build and attach certain parts to the main body of the vehicle. Previously, industries relied on die-cast and other traditional methods. These old methods are not only time-consuming but also costly.

With 3D printers, industries can manufacture these aiding tools as per their requirement. This can be done quickly and cost-effectively.

4. Reduced Spare Part Issues

One of the biggest issues many car manufacturers face is the lack of matching spare parts. When a certain part of a vehicle is built, making the same copy can be difficult. There will always remain a difference in one way or another. However, with the use of 3D printers in automobile manufacturing industries, this problem can be solved to a great extent.

3D printers use certain software such as CAD where designers create the 3D model of the certain part they wish to create. This soft copy of the model can be saved in the memory of the printer. If you manage to get the exact material from which the general part is made, you can create the exact copy by using this memory tool.

5. Accuracy In General Parts Manufacture

As the 3D printing technology is being advanced every day, new ways are being used to make use of this technology. Many car manufacturing industries are looking forward to creating general parts using 3D printers. 3D printers print in polymer plastics, that’s why the practical model of a car can not be built yet. If the technology improves and other materials like aluminum can be used to print, then maybe an entire can be printed through this technology.

However, till now many car manufacturers are successful in printing dashboards, light covers, and even door handles. This is a huge step forward in the automobile manufacturing industry.