Fully 3D Printed Car Close to Being Completed

 3D Printing  

Local Motors is preparing to make the first 3D printed car, called the "Strati".  This project was only initiated in April, and the design was selected in June. The team will print the Strati live at IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show in September.

Local Motors is currently, producing a new car called the "Strati" designed by Michele Anoé of Italy, that will be entirely 3D printed.

The vehicle, and the concept behind it were discussed at the Exponential Finance conference by Local Motors founder and CEO, Jay Rogers.  Founded in 2007, the company is a global co-creation community made up of enthusiasts, hobbyist innovators and professionals. "We are designers, engineers, and makers," proclaims their website.

Typically building a car from a new design represents either a significant investment in tooling, or a large commitment in time for someone to produce a design free form if the tooling does not exist.

What is perhaps most remarkable about this project so far is that it was only initiated in April, and Anoé's design was selected in June.  Now the team will print the car live at IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show 2014 in Chicago, Illinois, September 8-13, 2014.

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As Rogers expresses, "We can do this faster and with less cost, because we bring more people to the table."

In addition the need for all that production tooling is the result of just how many parts are required to produce the structure of a car. Just to create the cabin of a car, there are exterior body panels, trim, internal structure for rigidity, interior panels, dash covers... even the seats themselves contribute to a massive lists of parts and sub assemblies for the vehicle.

The fundamental problem the project is addressing is, what can be done to reduce the initial investment in producing a design, reduce the part count, and reduce the follow-up investment that will be required if the design changes?

Imagine if you could create the major elements of the exterior, the structure, and the Interior associated with a vehicle in one part. Then think if changing the design, or even taking on an entirely new one represented no additional cost in tooling. This is what we want investigated in Local Motor's Direct Digital Manufacturing Project.

While Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) is a term that can refer to many processes, for this portion of the project the team is focused on investigating the proper use of a hybrid additive/subtractive machine the is being developed at Oak Ridge National Labs.

This project was only initiated in April, and the design was selected in June. The team will print the car live at IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show in September.  This is what the power of 3D printing is all about.

This machine uses a large diameter extrusion head to 3D print objects at high speed, then on the same head it also uses a 5-Axis CNC router to come back and machine surfaces to a more precise specification where required.

This means the car makers can create car-scale forms very quickly and freely to machined precision, but without the necessity of forming tools, molds and other costly machining.  In manufacturing these high cost tooling operations are frequently referred to as "cutting steel."

For the Local Motors team, the challenges are to figure out what the best structure looks like? What materials should be used and when? What is the best way to fasten to that structure, and so on.

For his efforts, Anoé will receive a $5,000 cash award for his submission and will be invited to see his concept manufactured live in AMT’s Emerging Technology Center, Booth N-650, at the IMTS Show next month.




SOURCE  Local Motors

By 33rd Square

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