How close are 3D printed auto parts?

In April, Alcoa announced that it would supply 3D-printed titanium fuselage and engine pylon components to aircraft manufacturer Airbus for use in commercial airplanes, with the first parts delivered in mid-2016.

While there have been some interior aircraft components created via 3D printing (also referred to as additive manufacturing), the use of printed metal parts in the engine and other areas of a plane is a relatively new development. Alcoa has invested heavily in 3D printing and metallic powder production capabilities at it technical center in Pittsburgh, and in 2015 the company acquired RTI International Metals (now known as Alcoa Titanium & Engineered Products, ATEP), which expanded its printed metal parts capabilities.

While an Alcoa spokesperson indicated that the company is targeting its additive manufacturing capabilities exclusively at aerospace applications right now, automotive manufacturers are also eyeing the technology. 3D printing allows manufacturers to create highly complex geometries that are often much lighter in weight thanks to some of the design flexibility enabled by printing. For example, a part can be constructed with a “honeycombed” interior that provides comparable durability with a lighter weight; machining or casting processes generally can’t match those capabilities.

The global market for 3D printing metals was valued at $156.2 million in 2014, according to Research and Marks, and is expected to reach $776.8 million by 2020. Aerospace and defense are the fastest growing markets for printed metals. For automotive applications, the Asia-Pacific region has shown the most interest in metals.

While market research firm SmarTech estimates that 3D printing in automotive industry will grow to $1.25 billion by 2019, with a CAGR of nearly 25 percent, the bulk of that activity is around prototyping and creation of tooling and molds.

Capgemini, however, expects the industry will soon see the first design prototype of a car that has more than 50 percent of its parts 3D printed. Last year, design collective Local Motors printed an entire car on the floor of the SEMA conference, and earlier performed a similar feat when it produced its Strati prototype vehicle at a number of other conferences.

However, it’s unlikely that the auto industry will adopt 3D printing as a way to mass produce metal parts. Printing metal is a more complex, time consuming and expensive process, which makes it impractical for the type of high volumes required by most OEMs. The reason that Airbus and Alcoa can move forward is that the number of total parts needed in any given production run is comparatively small, and the production time for each aircraft is very long.

That’s why there is more traction for printed production parts in aviation. GE Aviation, for example, will include 3D printed parts in its CFM LEAP engines, a first for the industry. The 19 printed fuel nozzles are 25 percent lighter and also more durable than the previous version, and can be made as a single piece. (The original nozzle was made from 18 separate parts). The Airbus A350 XWB includes more than 1,000 3D-printed parts, and Honeywell has tested a printed heat exchanger.

Where 3D printing will make a big impact is in customization. The interesting thing about the Local Motors Strati, for example, is not necessarily that it could be (mostly) printed; it’s that the design could easily be changed or altered each time Local Motors printed one. Last year, Local Motors printed its LM3D Swim vehicle on the show floor at SEMA, with plans to release a road-ready version of the car in 2017. However, the majority of the metal parts were not printed.

3D printing does allow automakers to create molds and tooling that can easily be recreated or altered much more quickly and cost-effectively than traditional methods. Automakers can also use this technology to create blind geometries and change the way parts and panels are designed.

“It forces you to look at the functional duties and elements of your car,” says Alex Fiechter, Local Motors head of product development. “Instead of an exterior panel, you can make that a body structure to absorb a crash. You can make the part such that it absorbs impact, provides structure, and accommodates aesthetic needs all in one part.”

And molds could easily be changed or created to generate new sheet metal parts. “The minute you want to change one feature on a mold, you’ve potentially caused a huge problem,” Fiechter says. “The value proposition is really that the technology is very dynamic and flexible.”

Instead of replacing existing mass production methods, 3D printing will enable a new level of customization for specialty vehicles. 3D printing can create very lightweight and strong constructs and geometries. However, the economies of scale simply aren’t there to make production of large numbers of metal parts feasible.

Toyota recently unveiled a concept vehicle called the uBox that includes a customizable, 3D-printed dashboard. The vehicle was created as part of a project with Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research in South Carolina to create a vehicle that was appealing to very young drivers.

There is also a case for distributors or repair shops to print their own parts on site. A body shop could conceivably print resin screws, clips, or other small parts, or even design and print specialty parts or discontinued items.

In the case of the Strati and the LM3D Swim, the fact that the exterior of the car is printed as just a few very large pieces that are joined together also presents some repair challenges. In the event of a collision, a significant portion of the body of the vehicle may need replaced.

According to Local Motors engineer James Earle, a custom repair part or replacement could theoretically be produced, but costs will need to come down. “We’d love to get the technology such that you could reprint an entire car for less than it takes to repair,” Earle says. “Obviously you might want to design so there are replacement parts for the most likely impact areas. You don’t want to get an entirely new car because you backed into your garage door.”