Is 3D printing of car parts going to be more cost-effective?

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Today we live in a world where customization is key, Companies want to offer customers a wide variety of choices. 3d printing technology





Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

Stereolithography(SLA)

Currently in a car you get to choose the color of your interior, material and 3 or 4 upgrades which are preset, This is slowly changing, were companies are trying to offer completely customized designs, in that case each set of custom parts can be 3D Printed rather that conventional method of Injection Molding.

There is also the option of CNC milling these parts, but 3D Printing gives you a better control over the characteristics of your product(E.g. you can choose the infill pattern and volume to determine the weight of part and thereby the strength) . This makes 3D Printing a very viable option where reducing the weight is of importance. 3d printed object gallery
Now for simple cases like you have asked i will list some:

Spare parts: Stocking spare parts is a costly affair, it increases the overhead costs, 3D Printing can get rid of warehouses and print required parts on demand and thereby reduces transportation, warehousing and supply chain management costs.
Obsolete Parts: Manufacturers carry parts only for cars currently in production, so if a customer walks in with a older model its very difficult to find parts, 3D Printing can solve this.
Part Design: Automobile engines have complicated parts that are currently CNC machined or Investment Casted and later joined or assembled as required, this leads to loss of efficiency of parts, 3D printing can prints parts all in one thereby removing the need for joints and assemblies.

Currently “Mass Customization” is one area where 3D printing offers its benefits, its still a developing technology, it has the potential to be a mainstream manufacturing method, when used alongside traditional manufacturing can give the most benefits.

rapid prototyping 3d printing

3d printing in mechanical engineering

3d printing automotive parts



3-d printing is starting to come into play in engine components. Printing is not as cost effective as other manufacturing methods in high volume (like cars), but it can produce geometries that are not made feasibly with castings or molds. I have seen it prominently in aerospace applications (jet and rocket engine components - like injectors), but it is becoming more common for diesel and gas applications. The advantage for 3-d printing is that you can get complex internal geometries in small parts. The chase for higher fuel economy has driven engine manufacturers to extreme measures for peak performance and 3-d printing can produce small complex geometries, while minimizing overall part size and mass. 3d printing service Orissa, Jharkhand,West Bengal,Bihar,andhrapradesh india