The automotive industry is one of many industries that use additive manufacturing, and this technology has been used in various forms of application. However, until now, many use cases have been limited to small batches, as 3D printing has not been able to provide the throughput of traditional automotive production techniques while ensuring that part costs are low enough.
On January 25, 2022, Antarctic Bear learned that the Fraunhofer Institute for Additive Manufacturing Technology (IAPT) has demonstrated how 3D printing can bring benefits to technical performance and manufacturing costs by redesigning the door hinges of a luxury sports car.
In this part redesign project, IAPT engineers optimized the geometry, construction direction and process parameters from the door hinge to maximize cost and weight savings.
The IAPT said the results of the project bode well for mass production in the automotive industry, as 3D printing is increasingly used in the day-to-day operations of the automotive industry.
△ 3D printed door hinges, photo from Fraunhofer IAPT
Simplify automotive production
The Fraunhofer project shows that 3D printing technology is currently underutilized in the automotive sector, while larger production applications are still in the pipeline.
At present, the application of 3D printing technology in the automotive field mainly includes:
Rapid prototyping, as the development phase of a new model can take up to five years. During the development process, it is inevitable to develop and test several part prototypes, which means that rapid design iterations and shortest lead times are required: this is one of the main selling points of additive manufacturing.
Make tools such as jigs with 3D printing to help with production and assembly workflows. It may even be applied to the aftermarket for manufacturing parts that are already obsolete. 3D printing enables parts suppliers to print on demand, completely eliminating the need for parts inventory.
Just last month, sports car maker Porsche made a strategic investment in 3D printer maker INTAMSYS to explore more ways in which 3D printing could be deployed in its manufacturing operations. Porsche says 3D printing is an "integral part" of future digital manufacturing technologies and therefore worth the "long-term and ongoing" investment.
In addition, Czech automaker Skoda recently announced that it has been using 3D printing to enhance its own workflow, bringing the production of prototypes, spare parts and tools in-house. At present, Skoda has built a 3D printing farm, using a system developed by companies such as Prusa.
△ Škoda's print farm project has been recognized by the Federation of Industries of the Czech Republic, picture from Skoda
How to reduce the cost of 3D printing door hinges
Before starting the design work, Fraunhofer engineers used part screening software developed by 3D Spark to determine a suitable automotive component for demonstration studies.
In the early stages of the project, the team determined the most economical direction for the parts in the build room. The engineers took into account the necessary support structure and the number of parts they could fit in a single build. Compared to 3D printing builds that don't take these factors into account, the orientation optimization step brings a 15% cost savings.
Next is the topology optimization of the hinge arm itself. By reducing unnecessary material and reinforcing only the parts needed to simulate force flow, engineers were able to reduce the weight of the hinge arm by 35 percent. Subsequent material savings and shorter print times further saved 20% in costs.
The Fraunhofer team also calculated additional cost savings related to reduced post-processing (by reducing the support structure) and selecting the best metal powder material for the job: 10% each.
Interestingly, the study found that even the construction parameters used in the 3D printing process can lead to cost savings. For example, thicker layers, faster scanning speeds, and deformation of the laser beam profile all help to reduce build time, cutting printing costs by another 15%.
Ultimately, this cost-focused design approach allowed IAPT engineers to 3D print hinges, a significant 80 percent reduction in cost compared to 3D printing counterparts that didn't have the same optimization. When compared to the corresponding products of CNC milling, the project saves 50% and 35% of the cost and weight, respectively.