Automakers To Increase Use of 3D Printing

While they may not go so far as to print an entire car, mainstream automakers are set to quintuple their use of 3D printing over the next five years. According to data from SmarTech, the auto industry's use of 3D printing will grow from $267 million currently to $1.25 billion by 2019. That's an impressive compound annual growth rate of nearly 25%, a rate that could continue well into 2023.

Right now, the technology is used primarily for prototyping, but just as in the aerospace sector, printed parts are slowly working their way into finished vehicles. Parts can now be printed that can be used in prototype vehicles and in concept cars, which not only reduces the cost of making those vehicles, but also opens the door for putting printed end use parts into vehicles at some point.

In SmarTech's initial report, issued in December, the 2019 figure for 3D printing in automotive was $1.1 billion, but the company has since adjusted those figures.

The report, "Additive Manufacturing Opportunities in the Automotive Industry: A 10 Year Forecast," includes the potential for revenue generation that 3D printing presents, as well as a forecast of materials that will be used in the industry.

According to the report, the auto industry produces more than 100,000 prototype parts and additively manufactured molds each year. With manufacturers expanding the use of the technology, revenues from the sale of 3D printers to auto makers will reach $586 million by 2019, with material sales reaching $376 million.

Ford, for example, uses laser sintering to make front end and door panel prototypes for testing, according to coverage in VentureBeat and ComputerWorld. We previously reported on Aachen University's use of a Stratasys Objet1000 system to create its StreetScooter C16 electric car.

For one vision of the future of automotive 3D printing, read "3D Printing Advances Design" in Desktop Engineering's January issue. It profiles the Genesis and Cocoon 3D printed concept cars from EDAG. You can check out the Genesis concept in the video below.

Source: VentureBeat