Are 3D printed automotive parts reliable?

3DPrintIt has not been widely used in the field of automobile parts, except for some high-end racing cars, it is rarely seen on civilian cars. 3D Printed parts.It is because,On the one hand, the technology is not mature enough; on the other hand, the application of rare models like racing cars with low production capacity 3D Printing is more efficient and cost-effective.

but,The importance that various automobile manufacturers attach to this technology is already evident. For example, the BMW group3DThe application areas of printing have more than 25 years of history. exist2012arrive2022Over the past decade, they have used this technology to produce more than a million automotive parts. with3DWith the maturity of printing technology, BMW is only2018Year3DPrinted parts protrude20Ten thousand, compared to2017annual increase43%;Ford Engines (Ford) is also a company with3DAutomotive manufacturers in close cooperation in the printing industry,2019Unveiled at the North American International Auto Show Shelby Mustang GT500 He was carrying two 3D Print brake parts, standard version F-150 Raptor There is also one 3D Print the interior parts.

Another relatively giant player is the Volkswagen Group, which has opened a store in Wolfsburg. 3D Printing center, focus on research 3D Application of printing technology in automobiles.2018At the end of the year, Bugatti, a brand of the Volkswagen group, launched the first 3D Eight-piston printed caliper, titanium, heavy 6.4 books, approx. 3 Kilograms, yes 3D The largest titanium part ever printed.

Despite this, this caliper is still better than the Bugatti Chiron Use conventionally manufactured brackets for light 4.9 approximately pounds, approx.2.2 Kilogram. We all know how important lightweight is for a supercar. What we don’t know is that making this caliper is not as simple as “printing it” as everyone imagines. It must first be carried out by. 2213 A layer of titanium metal powder is melted, and the entire process from stereolithography to laser sintering requires45hours. Then the technicians will clean the remaining powder on the surface and place it in approx. 700 Bake at degrees Celsius. Finally, there are mechanical treatments and physical and chemical treatments. Finally, the “beautiful and hard” titanium calipers appeared before us.

In order to use it on the car as quickly as possible, rigorous testing is absolutely necessary. After all, Bugatti’s dynamic performance has extremely high braking requirements.

To run fast, you have to be able to stop. Place it directly on the shelf to simulate the braking process, and simulate the brake pads of 0 Was accelerated until 370km/h At high speed, the calipers began to work. At this time, the temperature of the brake pads rose rapidly, turning orange, and the surface temperature reached more than 400 degrees Celsius. At that time, the caliper had not failed due to thermal degradation of the brake pads.

After repeated testing, even the simulated brake pads began to catch fire and partially melt, with the maximum temperature reaching thousands of degrees Celsius. The titanium caliper remained as stable as a mountain, decelerating the brake pads and withstood the rigorous test intact.

Also, Volkswagen’s electric racing car competing in Pikes Peak ID.R I just used a lot of 3D printed parts;

Once again, the publicType 20The central elements of the concept car are used: orange wheels, mirror supports on both sides, steering wheel and other components.3DPrinted. These products are powered by artificial intelligenceGenerative designcreated in the process.

The benefit of AI is the ability to quickly understand engineers’ priorities during the design process.——Structural strength, ease of production, lightweight design, etc., and these standards can be met through iterative upgrades. However, the complex structures she designs are difficult to process with traditional methods. However,3DPrinting ignores structural difficulties and complex products can be printed quickly. Therefore, for the design of artificial intelligence,3DThe printing company is a very good partner.

Another example is Audi lunar quattro Lunar Rover Wheels: Although tire size was increased during development to increase stability,3DPrinting and applying lightweight materials, the weight of this lunar rover increased from38 kgreduced to30kgIt is66book.

During the restoration process of some vintage cars, some rare parts are difficult to find due to time and production constraints. 3D Printing can come in handy, like old classic cars like Porsche 959 The clutch lever can now only be used 3D Printed and produced,3DPrinting technology can restore old parts very realistically and make them look exactly the same.

A few years ago, Michelin and General Motors opened a joint venture in MontrealMovingA new generation of wheelless pneumatic technology was launched at the summit.3DPrint tire prototypes. tire nameUpstairsStands for “unique puncture-resistant tire system” created specifically for passenger cars. Not only is the new tire aimed at those who are tired of repairing flat tires, but Michelin also claims that the tire is 100% sustainable since few raw materials are used in its production, and these raw materials are all environmentally friendly. ‘environment. Currently, it is expected that each year2.9Billions of conventional tires are thrown away due to damage such as irregular wear, becauseUpstairsWithout aerial properties, the tires are stronger than traditional tires, meaning fewer tires will be thrown away due to wear.

3D There are still many applications for printing on automotive parts. When the technology is mature enough, it can effectively reduce the production cost of parts and realize arbitrary customization. In the end, it will definitely not only be the darling of high-end models, but will become a black technology in the true sense that benefits people.

Not just car parts,3DPrinting is also excellent in automobile manufacturing! According to the startupsX Electric Vehicle Limited（XV) news is3DPrint electric carsLSEVIt will be officially launched this year. The new car could be launched first in the European and Asian markets, with a starting price of around $1,000,000.1Ten thousand US dollars, the maximum cruising range is about150km. In addition to the chassis, seats and glass components, other major components of this model consist of3DProduction of printing technology, currentlyXVThe company partners with a new materials developer in Shanghai——PolymakerCollaborate to improve material properties and increase vehicle agility and stability. The number of parts for a conventional vehicle generally varies from2000about, andLSEVThe number of pieces is only40-60and according to the safety assessment, this type of3DThe strength of the printed vehicle is that of an ordinary vehicle4-5times. If adopted3DPrinting technology to make vehicles can shorten the production cycle by three-quarters and reduce costs.90%。LSEVto useC2Mmanufacturing model, which means customers can contact the factory directly to order vehicles, and3DPrinting technology also makes vehicle designs more flexible and better suited to personalized needs. according toXVHe said he received nearly7000The vehicle order will be placed according to plan2019Deliveries to customers in Europe and Asia begin in 2019LSEVit is without a doubt3DAnother major advance in printing in the automotive industry!