Simplifying automotive manufacturing processes with additive manufacturing
Quality and manufacturing performance are key issues in automotive production today. With the emergence of many new technologies, such as autonomous vehicles and smart cars, there is great pressure on manufacturers and suppliers to rely on new manufacturing technologies and expertise to ensure efficient design, cost management and work.
Our article discusses the advantages of 3D printing automotive fixtures and seats over traditional manufacturing methods, as well as its ideal application on production lines.
Advantages of additive manufacturing of clamping devices and seats
Manufacturers traditionally work with CNC-machined or injection-molded fixtures and seats, which are time-consuming and labor-intensive to manufacture, and their return on investment is not guaranteed. Additive manufacturing allows new parts to be produced in a shorter time from engineering-grade materials without CNC machining, thus achieving significant cost savings during the production of the devices.
3D printing of fixtures and seats offers the following main advantages:
- Fast time to market: 3D printing allows you to produce fixtures and seats faster and on-demand. Lead times are 70-90% faster than traditional manufacturing.
- Design freedom: 3D printing builds parts from the ground up, layer by layer, which removes the traditional limitations of manufacturing-oriented design and opens up a host of new possibilities for tool configuration. When engineers design for additive manufacturing, holes, contours, and complex organic structures are no longer obstacles.
- Consolidation of components: thanks to the design freedom inherent in additive manufacturing, assistive devices that previously consisted of components that required their own assembly time can be re-manufactured to be made from a single component, thus reducing maintenance costs.
- Ergonomics: Designing components along new guidelines also allows you to increase worker comfort and the ergonomics of the aids you produce. When designing, you can prioritize functionality over manufacturability. This does not add additional costs or increase production time, but it does increase the safety and comfort of employees using the aids.
- Weight reduction: Another benefit that increases the comfort and safety of employees working on the production line is the reduction in the weight of auxiliary equipment. 3D printing allows the use of strong, high-quality materials, while maintaining the functionality of the parts compared to metal versions.
- Digital inventory: 3D printers work directly from CAD data, so new designs can be created quickly and existing ones can be modified easily. For example, if the final part size changes and a new fixture is needed, all you have to do is update the CAD model that represents the fixture, order the additively manufactured part, and the new fixture can be on the production line within a few days.
Additive Manufacturing on the Automotive Production Line
Although the terms “clamps” and “stakes” are often used interchangeably, there are clear differences between them and their applications are diverse. Clamps are custom-made devices that control and monitor the position and movement of a part during an operation. They ensure repeatability and accuracy in the manufacturing of products. In contrast, seats are devices that hold a part in a fixed position during a machining operation or other industrial process. Seats ensure consistent quality, reduce production costs, and enable different parts to be manufactured to their respective specifications.
From assembly to quality assurance to logistics, “clamps and seats” make the automotive component manufacturing process seamless. Here are some examples of 3D printing applications for clamps and seats in the automotive industry:
- Manufacturing and assembly: 3D printed tools are most often used in this step of the manufacturing process to guide and maintain the position of tools and rails while milling and drilling parts.
- Safety: It is often left to the workers to check the safety of parts and equipment, so it is important that the clamping devices and seats are lightweight and ergonomic for ease of use.
- Quality Assurance and Inspection: 3D printing can be used to create precise, customized tools that meet the stringent requirements of quality assurance departments for fixture and inspection tools. The thermoplastic, durable plastics developed for additive manufacturing can provide a non-marring surface for final inspection.
- Packaging and logistics: the most common application area we encounter is the production of customized clamping devices to facilitate transportation within the factory. Additive manufacturing thermoplastics are durable and heat-resistant and can withstand the stresses encountered during transportation, such as vibrations, pressure and moisture.
The automotive industry is experiencing exciting and disruptive times. Manufacturers that are able to innovate beyond vehicle design and are ready to transform all aspects of the design and manufacturing process will gain a competitive advantage. Fixtures and seats created through additive manufacturing play a key role in this process, making work more efficient, helping to eliminate errors, and shortening turnaround times for inspections.
3D printing has been indispensable for years in the automotive prototype development process and in the production of unique or customized parts.
3D printing and a profit-oriented approach from our experts!
VARINEX Zrt.'s 3D printing business has more than 25 years of experience in the field of 3D printing services, i.e. contract printing. Our engineering colleagues, who use FDM and PolyJet technologies on a daily basis, are able to fulfill customer orders at the highest level. The experience gained from the contract printing of tens of thousands of various parts per year ensures the right choice between FDM and PolyJet technology in the given application area.
Before starting a project, contact our expert engineering colleagues 3dp@varinex.hu !