Supercar maker McLaren’s new Speedtail includes an unusual feature that might inspire some new 3D printed designs.
automotive
Stratasys Deep Inside GM
Stratasys issued an interesting press release where they describe their activities inside of GM.
BMW Group Opens New Additive Manufacturing Campus
The BMW Group’s new Additive Manufacturing Campus in Munich, Germany, is finally open.
3D Printing Rides The Ford Bronco Again
Charles R. Goulding and Ryan Donley delight in the 3D printing opportunity emerging from Ford’s reintroduction of the Bronco.
Polimotor’s 3D Printed Plastic Internal Combustion Engine
A company is apparently 3D printing fully functional internal combustion engines for racing — made from plastic!
The Iconic Vespa Meets 3D Printing
Charles R. Gouding and Andressa Bonafe check out Vespa scooting into 3D printing.
Serious Additive Manufacturing Technology Centers
Two major new additive manufacturing-focused technology centers have recently opened, signalling the seriousness of 3D printing as strategic focus.
RVs Take To The Road – And Take To 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi discuss 3D printing opportunities in the RV industry.
Aftermarket Parts: Another 3D Printing Niche?
Could aftermarket parts be a niche application for 3D printing? I think it has huge potential.
Auto Part Manufacturers And 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Ryan Donley look into the place of 3D printing in a reshaped auto part supply chain.
5 Industries That Benefit From Ceramics 3D Printing
What makes ceramics such a valuable 3D printing material? Here’s how it’s benefiting five essential industries.
Waymo’s Driverless Car $30 Billion Valuation and Business Model
Charles Goulding of R&D Tax Savers examines driverless car market opportunities for 3D printing.
Auto Industry Hammered by COVID-19
The auto industry, like so many other sectors, has had its hands full dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
Ford vs. Ferrari: Using 3D Printing
Charles Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi consider how two prominent automotive firms, Ferrari and Ford, are using 3D printing.
Saroléa’s Superbike Powered By Electricity and Polymaker
We had a close look at an electric Superbike, the Saroléa N60, which can accelerate at unearthly rates, and prototyped using Polymaker materials.
When Generative Design Backfires – VW’s New Wheels
What looked like twigs proved to be generatively-designed shapes, the output of generative design algorithms available in Autodesk’s Fusion 360, then cast in metal.
ParaMatters’s CogniCAD “Lightweights” Experimental EV
EV maker Archimoto leveraged ParaMatters’ CogniCAD generative CAD tool to optimize the weight of several key metal components.
3D Printing Truck Parts Improves Manufacturing Process
Cameron Torti & Charles Goulding investigate several major truck manufacturers’ use of 3D printing technologies.
Volkswagen Shows Viability of Metal Additive Manufacturing in Automotive
Last year Volkswagen selected HP Metal Jet for the high volume manufacturing of production-grade metal parts, as the foundation for its strategy to industrialize additive manufacturing with a multi-year design and production roadmap.
We Will Never 3D Print A Car; We Will 3D Print Car Parts
The application of multiple 3D printing processes to help build parts for a concept electric vehicle hints at how future automobiles might be 3D printed.
Could 3D Printing Save The Automotive Industry?
HP’s metal 3D printing work with Volkswagen portends a 3D printed future for automakers seeking to catch up in the race to produce electric vehicles.
The New Tesla Cybertruck is Dang Easy to Model in Blender
How hard is it to design the new Tesla Cybertruck in 3D? One designer tried to do so in Blender.
Formula One Racing Teams And 3D Printing Activities: Driven To Be The Best
Charles Goulding, Preeti Sulibhavi and Ian D. Brown examine the use of 3D printing and additive manufacturing by the world’s major Formula 1 Racing teams.
A “Personal Car Factory 3D Printer” Coming Next Year?
There’s a huge large format 3D printer to be released next year, the massive Modix MAMA 3D printer, which comes at a fantastically low price due to a very unusual approach.
Stratasys To Collaborate With Jay Leno
Jay Leno partners with Stratasys to enable a digital inventory and 3D printing approach to maintain his vast collection of vintage automobiles.
Slow Sculpture: Is 3D Printing Really Creating The Future?
Is 3D printing technology helping us sneak through the 21st century without much notice? Will we be surprised when we suddenly find ourselves in flying cars?
When Will Car Dealers 3D Print Parts?
Charles Goulding and Ryan Donley of R&D Tax Savers discuss the future of automotive 3D printing – in car dealerships.
Realizing 3D Printing’s Opportunities In The Face Of Trade Wars
Global trade and increasing tariffs are major topics of discussion these days — and 3D printing is increasingly a part of that conversation.
10,000 Tariff Exemption Applications vs. 3D Printing
Charles Goulding and Peter Favata of R&D Tax Savers discuss the place of 3D printing in the face of tariff exemptions.
3D Printing: Shifting Gears for Driverless Electronic Vehicles
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi of R&D Tax Savers examine the use of 3D printing in new driverless electric vehicles.
The Autonomous Olli 2.0: Smarter, Longer-Range, More 3D Printed
Local Motors’ autonomous Olli vehicle is now in its second generation, with more 3D printing and potential to become wider spread.
The Importance and Potential of 3D Printing
3D printing has the potential to transform numerous industries. From medicine to automotive, many sectors have felt the benefits of this technology and what it can do.
3D Printing Opportunities with Fiat Chrysler’s Increased Focus on Jeep
Charles Goulding and Peter Favata of R&D Tax Savers discuss 3D printing opportunities regarding Jeep.
3D Printing Camaro Parts
Charles Goulding and Ryan Donley of R&D Tax Savers examine 3D printing applications for car parts – specifically the popular Chevrolet Camaro.
The Lightyear One Electric Car Drives Ahead With Sunlight And 3D Printing
The new solar-powered Lightyear One electric car includes more than 60 3D printed interior parts made by DiManEx.
Students Using Advanced 3D Print Technology Could Lead to Job Offers
What kind of 3D print technology should be used by students? Here we explain the advantages of using advanced technology to simulate real-life engineering environments.
3D Printing: A Lifeline for Automakers Adapting to a Changing Industry
Cameron Torti and Charles Goulding of R&D Tax Savers examine 3D printing in today’s automotive industry.
Question of the Week: How To Re-Engineer Motorcycle Parts
How could one re-engineer parts for a motorcycle?
Design of the Week: 3D Printed Windup Car
This week’s selection is the 3D Printed Windup Car project by maker Greg Zumwalt.
Mass Production At The Core: voxeljet’s High-Volume Additive Manufacturing Moves
The new VJET X is preparing for its debut as voxeljet announces its next high-volume additive manufacturing solutions.
How Advanced Can 3D Printed Colors Be?
I spoke with DyeMansion’s Chief Customer Officer, Kai Witter, about the company’s new advanced 3D print color systems.
Design of the Week: HRE3D+ Wheels
This week’s selection is the startling HRE3D+ 3D printed wheel by HRE Performance Wheels.
3D Printing in Automotive: Has The Time Come?
Daimler announced a fully automated metal 3D printing system, “NextGenAM”, and this points us to a very interesting future.
New Joint Project Brings Metallic 3D Printing To Automakers
A new collaborative venture, led by BMW and including researchers, manufacturers and auto companies, is working on expanding advanced manufacturing (AM) in the automotive industry.
Another Solid 3D Printing Model Repository: Hum3D
We ran across another interesting 3D model repository, Hum3D.
Bugatti 3D Prints Classic Car for Kids
French sports car manufacturer Bugatti first made its mark on the world with the Bugatti Type 35 race car (“the Bugatti Baby”) in the early 20th century.
Race Cars and 3D Printers: A Love Story
Mac and cheese. Lucy and Ethel. Penn and Teller. Racing and 3D printing. Sometimes it’s just a good pairing.
Book of the Week: Engineer to Win
This week’s selection is “Engineer to Win” by Carroll Smith.
Stratasys Races on with Software, Autosports Introductions
This week at SOLIDWORKS World, Stratasys is announcing an advance in GrabCAD software and an autosports collaboration.
Carbon Drives Digitally Manufactured Auto Parts with Lamborghini
Carbon continues to bring advanced 3D printing into play for end-use automotive parts, announcing a collaboration with Lamborghini.
Carbon Introduces 3D-Printed Auto Parts for Ford
Ford Motor Company has been a long-time partner of Silicon Valley-based 3D printing firm Carbon.
NASCAR Experience Driving Advanced Manufacturing Ambitions at KAM
With hybrid technologies and NASCAR roots, KAM is set to race forward in advanced manufacturing.
Carbon, Ford, and Production Parts
Carbon and Ford have expanded their collaboration with a focus on end-use parts.
Automakers’ 3D Printing Dedication
3D printing is prominent in the automotive industry. Automakers are starting to lift the veil on the depth of their investments.
Stratasys Races Ahead with Team Penske and Carbon Fiber 3D Printing: Interview
Stratasys’ Vice President of Manufacturing provides insights into strong steps forward.
Auto Parts 3D Printing and the U.S./Mexico Trade Treaty
Charles Goulding and Tricia Genova of R&D Tax Savers discuss auto parts 3D printing and the impact of the US/Mexico trade treaty.
3D-Printed Olli Pulls into University of Buffalo’s Autonomous Vehicle Program
Local Motors, a subsidiary of the recently established LM Industries, has officially delivered Olli, its 3D-printed electric vehicle (EV)
3D Printing for Motorcycles and Components
Charles Goulding and John Chin of R&D Tax Savers discuss 3D printing for motorcycles and motorcycle components.
voxeljet Teases an Automated Additive Manufacturing Solution for Production
Production is in sight for additive manufacturing, and voxeljet is looking to lead the way, the company tells us. This morning, James Reeves, Managing Director at voxeljet UK, reached out with an interesting look ahead in the latest positioning to “reinvent the manufacturing landscape.” He published a teaser today hinting at an interesting work in… Continue reading voxeljet Teases an Automated Additive Manufacturing Solution for Production
Could Carbon Become an Automotive Giant?
I had an interesting thought about Carbon and where they might end up.
3D Printed Combustion Engines? Where Could This Lead To?
A student competition saw a demonstration of a 3D printed internal combustion engine.
BMW’s Inflatable 3D Prints
A story on designboom talks about some very intriguing ideas from automaker BMW.
4 Ways 3D Printing Can Revolutionize Automobile Manufacturing
The automobile sector is booming.
Mini Yours Customized: The Next Step In Car Customization
Car manufacturers are constantly exploring new technologies as a way to get ahead in the market.
Local Motors Forms LM Industries, “the First Digital OEM”
It began as a small crowdsourcing company that let car customers come in and build their own vehicle
Audi Leverages Full-Color, Multi-Material 3D Printing for Tail Light Testing
The automotive industry is a long-time adopter of 3D printing technology for prototyping and design purposes.
PolyMaker’s Automotive Venture
3D print materials provider PolyMaker has struck a deal to help build a mostly-3D printed automobile.
See How McLaren Uses VR for Car Body Design
Before automobile technology even reached the point where two cup holders in a single car was an ovation inducing breakthrough
Design of the Week: Oxygene Tire
This week’s selection is the radical Oxygene EV tire design by Goodyear.
Saving Big Bucks in the Automotive Industry with 3D Printing
In the early days, 3D printing was used almost exclusively for creating automotive prototypes for checking form and fit.
Design of the Week: VW Caddy Front End Structure
This week’s selection is an interesting 3D printed front end structure for a Volkswagen classic car.
Wanted: People Using Onshape to Collaborate on a Badass Motorcycle Design
Ya know, while there are various ways to collaborate online around a 3D CAD project with other like-minded designers and engineers, you don’t hear about it too often.
A New Type of 3D Print Application?
I’m reading a release from ESA, the European Space Agency, who seem to have found a new way to use 3D prints.
Michelin Unveils the Tire of the Future…and of Course, It’s 3D Printed
Despite that old expression of “you don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” Michelin has proved this week that there’s still plenty of ground to play with the future of wheel design…and tires, too.
Can Automobiles Be Made More Efficient With 3D Printing: Yes and No
A report from the University of Nottingham proposes ways to make automobiles more fuel efficient through the application of 3D metal printing.
Design of the Week: Chevy Camaro LS3 V8 Engine
This week’s selection is the incredible Chevy Camaro LS3 V8 Engine by mechanical engineer Eric Harrell.
APWorks’ LightRider Foretells Interesting New 3D Designs
APWorks has released a design for a fabulous 3D printed electric motorcycle called the “Light Rider”. But I think there’s a lot more to this project.
Sfmototype Challenge – Discussion With Lori Chen & Nancy Garcia Von Kriegenbergh
This article originates from Women In 3D Printing and is part of our effort to support the use of 3D printing technology by women. The article is re-published with permission. SF Moto, a Bay Area local motorcycle store, and You3Dit, a 3D design platform, teamed up to bring the SFmototype Challenge. We talked to Nancy Garcia… Continue reading Sfmototype Challenge – Discussion With Lori Chen & Nancy Garcia Von Kriegenbergh
This Stunning Full-Sized Nissan Sedan Wireframe Sculpture Was Made Using a 3D Printing Pen
Despite raising nearly $4 million across two Kickstarter campaigns, the 3Doodler 3D printing pen never really took off as a tool for professional designers and architects to hash out 3D sketches quickly (note: they are trying to change this).
Design of the Week: Subaru WRX EJ20 Boxer Engine
This week’s selection is the incredible Subaru WRX EJ20 Boxer Engine functional model designed by Eric Harrell of Santa Cruz, California.
Ultimaker’s Very Serious Focus on Professional 3D Printing
At the very beginning, Ultimaker was a group of guys who built a hobby 3D printer. Now, things are utterly changed.
Defeat Thieves With 3D Printed Stolen Logos
This application of 3D printing resonates strongly with me, and it may with you as well: replacing a stolen logo.
Local Motors’ Olli Concept is Amazing – Except for One Thing
Local Motors announced a new transportation concept based partly on 3D printing: Olli, the autonomous transportation solution.
Do Daihatsu’s 3D Printed “Effect Skins” Herald Mass 3D Customization?
Stratasys has partnered with automaker Daihatsu to offer consumers the ability to customize their vehicle using 3D printing.
The Light Rider is a 3D Printed Motorcycle Designed by Aerospace Engineers
What happens when aerospace specialists develop a motorcycle with bionic algorithms instead of calculating spaceship engines?
Are 3D Printed Cars A Sensible Thing?
I’ve heard a few stories about folks developing 3D printed cars, and I must say I’m a bit skeptical.
Divergent Wants to Be World’s First 3D Printed Supercar
Kevin Czinger wants to completely change the way automobiles are built.
Is Automotive Catching On To 3D Printing?
A report predicts big things for 3D printing in the automotive sector. But could this herald a revolution in design?
Design of the Week: OpenR/C Formula 1 Car
This week’s selection is the amazing OpenR/C Formula 1 Car by Pinshape contributor Daniel Noree.
3D Printed Racing Cars!
A car racing game based on 3D printing has emerged.
Autodesk and Local Motors Collaborate on First Spark 3D Platform Implementation
Earlier this year, Autodesk announced plans to introduce Spark, a new open platform for 3D printing, aimed at making it simpler and more reliable to print 3D models and easier to control how that model is printed.
Boeing and Lotus Join Forces to Advance AM Processes and Materials
One makes planes, the other designs race cars. It would seem that on face value Boeing and Lotus Racing have little in common aside from a need for speed. However, just beneath the surface both companies rely on different permutations of the same physical processes to achieve success.
Rezvani Supercar Uses 3D Printed Components
In the past year a good number of car companies began experimenting with 3D printing, wondering how it could help their performance, manufacturing and design. For automotive startup Rezvani Motors 3D printing was key to saving weight in its BEAST 500 supercar.
Local Motors to Debut 3D Printed Car in September
Local Motors recently announced that it has agreed to produce a 3D printed vehicle for the Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT), which will debut at the International Manufacturing Show (IMS) this coming September.
Buildparts’s 3D Printed Miller Car
We managed to get a very close look at an incredible 3D print. It’s so good you’d never know how it was made.