Use of 3D Printer in Automotive Sector

The automotive and transport industries are constantly evolving in parallel with the developments in technology. As safer, high-performance designs are developed for travelling and driving comfort, the need for parts suitable for these designs continues to increase at the same rate. Automotive and OEM manufacturers meet the need by optimizing their production processes in additive manufacturing according to technological developments.

Due to increasing competition conditions, problems in the supply chain, etc., brands in the automotive industry are optimizing their production methods with technological developments according to their research. We have summarized the 3D technology, which has been developed since the 1980s and has been increasingly used individually in recent years as well as industrial use, in terms of its use in the automotive sector.

3D, which is widely used in sectors such as the medical industry, mould industry, defense industry and in the production of products such as white goods and household appliances, is also used in the automotive industry in the production of three-dimensional structures designed for a wide range of products or parts.

Since the production process in the automotive sector is interdisciplinary, it requires different procurement processes, which is why disruptions in procurement cause difficulties in automotive production. Therefore, the resulting disruption causes costs. Considering that there are more than 30,000 parts in a vehicle on average, the important role of 3D use in the automotive sector emerges when the diversity of production methods and raw materials of these parts is taken into account. One of the most important technologies underlying 3D printers is the technology called Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). FFF is used for production and end-use parts in the automotive industry. SLA technology is used for transparent parts such as mirrors and headlights. FFF, SLA and other 3D technologies used in the production of 3D parts that can be blended with different components and materials make a great contribution to eliminating the supply problem. Of course, supply is not the only advantage of this tremendous technology.

The use of 3D in automotive offers many advantages with the production of parts that are difficult to manufacture or supply or have complex geometric structures. The main advantages of the use of 3D, which accelerates the operation with its ability to produce and saves from possible problems, are as follows:

As can be seen, the use of final products produced on 3D printers in vehicle production is a revolution in the automotive industry, which requires highly complex production and supply chain operations. The production of parts that require different solutions, from metal printers used for aluminum or titanium alloy materials to lightweight and durable parts, from parts with varying transparency to parts that are resistant to stress or high temperatures, not only reduces costs but also helps to prevent possible problems that may occur after  product delivery.

As with the Just in Time approach (an inventory strategy derivative of the Japanese Kanban system), which is used to eliminate the problems caused by uncertainties in the supply of products, 3D technology serves to produce the product with the desired specifications at the desired time in the desired quantity and to meet the demand directly. Related article: https://www.map.com.tr/en/jit-just-in-time-kanban-in-automotive-supply/

With the widespread use of 3D in automotive, the negative chain effects caused by complex production processes, supply chain processes and multifaceted operations such as raw materials and stocking are also eliminated. In this case, the actors of the automotive sector, who want to stand out from their competitors in a tough competitive environment that is gradually changing dimension, should act early in renewing their operations by adapting quickly to the changing technology and implement all the necessary actions on time. As innovations in 3D and similar technologies that serve production and offer numerous advantages continue to develop, automotive production is turning into an arena where design and ideas will come to the forefront and those with high designs will make a difference.