The transport industry is an important pillar of modern consumption. With growing consumption, there’s immense demand for transportation services of all types – passengers, raw materials and finished goods. Additive manufacturing has the potential to alter the transportation industry immensely.
A production process that leverages 3D printing can overcome most of the limitations and challenges of traditional manufacturing. With additive manufacturing, automotive manufacturers can benefit from high-value transformative applications as well as increased levels of productivity.
Additive manufacturing can:
- Bring down the weight/inertia of the drive shaft
- Accelerate the product development phase
- Cut down development costs
- Increase the speed and productivity of model production
In the automotive industry, electric vehicles have been leading the way when it comes to adopting 3D manufacturing.
Increased productivity
One of the biggest benefits of additive manufacturing is the improved speed, allowing for a more productive process while updating the way tools and vehicle components are made. With 3D Printing, automotive parts can be produced within days, which can take several weeks with traditional machining techniques.
Greater design freedom
Creating complex automotive parts is no mean feat. It’s a complicated and intensive process that can prove to be a time-intensive, labor-intensive, and cost-heavy initiative.
Additive manufacturing gives you the ability to produce complex automotive components while paving the way for greater design freedom.
When it comes to prototyping, traditional manufacturing techniques can prove prohibitively expensive. With additive manufacturing, prototyping has become a cost-efficient proposition.
Reduced cost
By incorporating additive manufacturing in the design and innovation stage, automakers can expect significant cost reduction. Automotive manufacturing provides several cost benefits like lower inventory levels, on-location production, on-demand production and reduced tooling needs.
Environmental benefits
Additive manufacturing allows for some environmental benefits too. Producing components onsite (or closer to the point of use) boosts shipping efficiencies while reducing the carbon footprint. Moreover, shorter-distance sourcing is an eco-friendly option that also helps prevent any interruptions in the global supply chain.
One-stop shop for metal powders optimized for additive manufacturing
TMetal offers a full range of quality metal powders used in additive manufacturing. Our powders boast the features required for use in the automotive manufacturing industry. We follow industry standards to help ensure your 3D printed parts comply with mechanical performance and part specifications. Get in touch with us today to discuss your requirements.
