During these years, the most natural way for 3D printing to enter the automotive industry is rapid prototyping. From car interior parts to tires, front grilles, engine blocks, cylinder heads, and air ducts, 3D printing technology can create prototypes of almost any auto part. For automotive companies, using 3D printing for rapid prototyping is not necessarily cheap, but it will definitely save time. However,for model development, time is money. Globally, GM, Volkswagen, Bentley, BMW and other well-known automotive groups are using 3D printing technology.
There are two types of uses for 3D printing prototypes. One is in the automotive modeling stage. These prototypes do not have high requirements for mechanical properties. They are only to verify the design appearance, but they provide automotive modeling designers with vivid three-dimensional entities. Models create convenient conditions for designers to design iterations.In addition, stereo light-curing 3D printing equipment is usually used for the prototype manufacturing of automobile lamp design. The special transparent resin material matched with the equipment can be polished after printing to present a realistic transparent lamp effect.
The other is functional or high-performance prototypes, which tends to have good heat resistance, corrosion resistance, or can withstand mechanical stress. Automakers can use prototypes of such 3D printed parts for functional testing. The 3D printing technologies and materials available for such applications include: industrial-grade fused deposition modeling 3D printing equipment and engineering plastic filaments or fiber reinforced composite materials, selective laser fusion 3D printing equipment and engineering plastic powder, fiber reinforced composite powder materials. Some 3D printing material companies have also introduced photosensitive resin materials suitable for making functional prototypes. They have impact resistance, high strength, high temperature resistance or high elasticity. These materials are suitable for stereo light curing 3D printing equipment.
In general, 3D printing prototypes entering the automotive industry is relatively deep. According to a comprehensive research reported by Market Research Future (MRFR), the market value of 3D printing in the automotive industry will reach 31.66 billion yuan by 2027. The compound annual growth rate from 2021 to 2027 is 28.72%. In the future, the market value of 3D printing in the automotive industry will be larger and larger.
Post time: Apr-27-2022
