Automotive

3D Printing Solutions for Automotive

Accelerate Automotive industry product development with additive manufacturing. Leading automotive OEMs and Tier 1s build a more scalable on-demand, local-for-local supply chain of the future to get to market faster. Reduce cost while improving performance functionality with topology optimization. Tooling delayed? Bridge the gap between prototyping and serial production catering to volumes that would be costly and time consuming via SLM Solutions Technology.

SLM Solutions' expert application support helps to develop components optimized for Selective Laser Melting, from prototype to production. See below the numerous possibilities using  SLM® technology  for the automotive industry. 

SLM Solutions is a powerful, long-term strategic partner for Divergent 3D, working with us to provide 3D metal printing hardware and software specific to the Divergent Adaptive Production System™. We believe that this will transform the way vehicle structures are designed, engineered, manufactured and assembled.

Kevin Czinger, CEO at Divergent 

Success Story

How SLM® Technology Enables the Locomotive Industry 

Machine: SLM®800

The company Wabtec has significantly improved a brake panel  for a train using SLM® technology. The conventional part consisted of several individual components and was unnecessarily heavy, which impacted the train’s performance. With the help of the SLM®800, not only the weight was reduced and the lead time shortened, but the safety-critical component also passed all the tests for qualification and certification.

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SUCCESS STORY

E-Drive Housing from Porsche

Machine: NXG XII 600
Build Time: 21 hr

In a proof of concept with the SLM® machine NXG XII 600, SLM Solutions and Porsche successfully printed a complete E-drive housing with an innovative AM Design. All the advantages of additive manufacturing have been implemented in this housing such as topology optimization with lattice structures to reduce the weight, functional integration of cooling channels, higher stiffness and reduced assembly time by the integration of parts as well as improvements in part quality.

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SUCCESS STORY

Bugatti® Active Heat Shield

Machine: SLM®280 Twin
Material: AlSi10Mg 
Layer Thickness: 60µm
Build Time: 4 hr 4m per Unit

Installed in all vehicles since the delivery of the first Bugatti Chiron from the production facility in Molsheim, this part provides integrated water-cooling channels to serve as an active heat shield to the motor's electric pump. The complex geometry was produced at lower costs than with traditional methods.

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SUCCESS STORY

Bugatti® Brake Caliper

Machine: SLM®500 
Material: Ti6AL4V 

Sparks fly during the dynamic bench testing of this Bugatti brake caliper. Volumetrically this part is the largest functional titanium component built with selective laser melting. The additively produced metal part can cope with extreme strength, stiffness and temperature requirements at speeds. Caliper test showed tensile strength of 1,250 n/mm2 and material density over 99.7%. The part was manufactured with Fraunhofer IAPT (formerly Laser Zentrum Nord) and Bionic Production AG. 

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SLM® Material for Automotive Applications

SLM Solutions sells appropriate powder and parameter sets for the most common powders in the automotive industry:

  • Al-Based Alloys: AlSI10Mg, ALSi7Mg and AlSi9Cu3 
  • Ni-Based Alloys: Inc. 625
  • Fe-based Alloys: 1.2709, 316L (1.4404)

 

More SLM® materials

Selective Laser Melting Solutions for Automotive Applications

  • Aluminium Brackets

    SLM® technology enables aluminium motor brackets that are produced with internal cooling channels. These act as an active heat shield to the motor's electric pump. This complex geometry is being produced today at lower costs compared to traditional manufacturing methods. 

  • Brake Calipers

    The key advantage of additively manufactured brake calipers is that they are printed lighter than traditionally maufactured calipers. Despite their lightweight production, 3D printed calipers are able to withstand incredibly high temperatures and stress, thus meeting the stringent requirements of the automotive industry. 

  • Motor Housing

    New designs for motor housings with conformal cooling channels are especially required in E-Mobility. SLM® technology enables the production of robust aluminium parts with improved connection strength and cooling capacity. 

Quality Standards for Automotive Industry

SLM Solutions is here to provide machine systems that fulfill industrial safety standards, and help automotive manufacturers to certify their AM process according the automotive QS standard, like IATF 16949. Allow us to share our knowledge with you to boost your metal additive manufacturing production, contact us today!