3D printing viewed as viable strategy for global automotive production

Dec. 15, 2015
Local Motors in Arizona is creating cars via a three dimensional (3D) computer printer and developing a series of cooperative community-based automotive microfactories aimed at putting into motion new technologies on a global scale.

Local Motors in Arizona is going beyond the industry’s existing boundaries by creating cars via a three dimensional computer printer and developing a series of cooperative community-based automotive microfactories aimed at putting into motion new technologies on a global scale.

Based in Chandler, Ariz., with additional demonstration, sales and production facilities in Tempe, Ariz.; Las Vegas; Knoxville, Tenn.; National Harbor, Md.; Berlin; and Beijing, the company is inviting car buffs and automotive experts from throughout the world to collaborate on engineering “open source” vehicle designs.

“At Local Motors, we are hellbent on revolutionizing manufacturing,” says CEO and co-founder John B. “Jay” Rogers Jr. “Car manufacturers have been stamping parts the same way for more than 100 years. We now have the technology to make the process and products better and faster by linking the online to the offline through direct digital manufacturing (DDM). This process will create better and safer products, and we are doing exactly that.”

DDM is highlighted by 3D printing of the components. At the 2014 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show the company introduced the world’s first 3D printed car. Called the Strati, attendees were able to witness the printing process unfold throughout the event and then view the completed vehicle as it triumphantly joined the SEMA Cruise en route to the official after party.

“When SEMA approached Local Motors and asked us to 3D print a car at their annual conference, we accepted the challenge with great excitement,” Rogers recounts. “The hot rod and aftermarket automotive community has always been on the cutting edge of vehicle innovation and we were thrilled to display the future of car making to this group.”

For the 2015 SEMA Show, Local Motors unveiled its DDM-produced LM3D Swim, which Rogers describes as being a “disruptive” auto manufacturing innovation that delivers “safe, smart and sustainable” transportation. LM plans to release several new models in the LM3D series throughout 2016 while pursuing federal crash testing and highway certifications.

Presales of the cars are expected to begin in the spring of 2016 with a targeted MSRP of $53,000; manufacturing and delivery of the vehicles is anticipated in early 2017. They will be built at a new microfactory now under construction in Knoxville, Tenn.

The LM3D Swim was designed by Kevin Lo, an LM community member who won the company’s Project Redacted challenge in July that was hosted on its Open IO co-creation platform. Lo’s winning entry was chosen by community votes and a judging panel that included former Tonight Show host Jay Leno and SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology John Waraniak.

“You need something that makes you go ‘what’s that?’” remarked Leno as he reviewed the LM3D Swim, calling it “sporty, fun, and you can commute in it.”

“In the past few months our engineers have moved from only a rendering to the car you see in front of you today,” Rogers told the crowd at SEMA. “We are using the power of DDM to create new vehicles at a pace unparalleled in the auto industry, and we’re thrilled to begin taking orders on 3D-printed cars next year.”

LM’s overall development projects utilize software developed by Siemens along with technological contributions from partners such as IBM, SABIC, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Michigan, Arizona State University and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

In June, Local Motors opened its first international dealership in Beijing to market its Rally Fighter, billed as being “equally as comfortable on city streets as it is off-road on rugged terrain.” An assortment of LM community members and professional partners participated in developing the various elements.

“As with many nations that are looking for advanced manufacturing prowess,” says Rogers, “we’ve seen that corporations, educators and government officials in China have expressed a great interest in what LM is doing.”

 “I purchased two Rally Fighter experiences last year and fell in love with the vehicle,” reports Wei Liu, the CEO of China’s Beijing Junyu Automotive who is operating the LM dealership, located on the ground floor of the Jinbao Jingya Grand Hotel. “This is the most unique vehicle I’ve ever driven, and the Chinese people are hungry for something truly unique to drive. I am thrilled to be able to offer it to them.”

“The new location in Beijing showcases America’s manufacturing prowess through the world’s first co-created car, the Rally Fighter,” explains Rogers. “Every one of them will be built in the U.S. and exported to China.”

Each of the cars is “built by hand” to the specifications of the buyer. “There are countless ways to customize the vehicle so that each one is one of a kind,” he says. “With the Rally Fighter, we’re bringing a completely original American vehicle to a huge market with an appetite for the unique.”

Rogers cites 2013 research from McKinsey & Co. that “demonstrates the rising demand for custom, luxury automobiles in China.” It found that sales of premium cars in China grew by 36 percent per year from 2002 to 2012. The premium car market is expected to grow 12 percent annually versus only 8 percent growth for standard passenger vehicles over the next five years. China will thus surpass the U.S. in premium car sales by the year 2020, according to the report.

A six-step plan

American Rally Fighter purchasers can take part in actually constructing their vehicles at LM’s microfactory in Chandler, aided by advice from an onsite professional “builder trainer” who guides the “open source” processes.

The term open source is typically ascribed to software development, but Rogers says he is intent on bringing forth a six-step plan to carry the concept into vehicle construction:

1) Share the entire design and development process. Allow people to participate and choose body and interior details and components and the result will be a car the community wants to own and experience.

2) Work with top-tier OEMs to incorporate the best-in-class components requested during open development. These will inevitably be DOT certified, fully tested, quality parts.

3) Work with OEMs who also share data to make maintenance and modification increasingly possible. When there are multiple options for a single component, go with the one that is most fully supported and understood. This will make your vehicle easier to modify and maintain.

4) Share all chassis and body data to allow owners, modders and aftermarket companies to easily make parts that fit. There is no guessing in open source – you have all the data you need to make parts and modifications that work.

5) Build a microfactory and commit to a local area. We believe we can create a better experience for our customers if we’re available locally, if we’re physically present. Now we can go ride with our customers in the deserts outside Phoenix on the weekends and we can learn how to make the vehicles and the experience even better.

6) Allow customers to build their own cars. In the past the car building experience was only available to expert builders with lots of free time. This build experience is catered to the novice and the pro, and it requires only two long weekends, or six days total.

“These six things add up to one big thing,” Rogers concludes. “The Rally Fighter is the first production automobile to be designed, developed and built through open source.”

Subscribe to Aftermarket Business World and receive articles like this every month….absolutely free. Click here.

Sponsored Recommendations

ZEUS+: The Cutting-Edge Diagnostic Solution for Smart, Fast, and Efficient Auto Repairs

The new ZEUS+ simplifies your diagnostic process and guides you through the right repair, avoiding unnecessary steps along the way. It gives you the software coverage, processing...

Diagnostic Pre- and Post-scan Reports are Solid Gold for Profitability

The following article highlights the significance of pre-scans and post-scans, particularly with Snap-on scan tools, showcasing their efficiency in diagnosing issues and preventing...

Unlock Precision and Certainty: TRITON-D10 Webinar Training for Advanced Vehicle Diagnostics

The TRITON-D10 lets you dig deep into the systems of a vehicle and evaluate performance with comparative data, systematically eliminating the unnecessary to provide you with only...

APOLLO-D9: Trustworthy Diagnostics for Precision Repairs

The APOLLO-D9 provides the diagnostic information and resources you need to get the job done. No more hunting through forums or endlessly searching to find the right answers. ...

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Vehicle Service Pros, create an account today!