Daimler, the world’s largest truck maker, announced last week that it soon will begin printing spare parts for its vehicles on three-dimensional printers rather than building them in a factory and shipping them wherever they are needed.
The announcement marks a breakthrough in the new 3D printing technology, the first of many that are expected to be unveiled as the use of innovative printers become more widespread.
Auto Parts and More
Spare parts for cars, trucks and other vehicles are one of the first applications for the new printers, which use special lasers to melt powders into plastic, glass, metals, and even ceramics.
For years, Volkswagen has been using 3D printers in the process of “rapid prototyping”, in which company designers use the devices to print out experimental parts and assemblies during the development of new vehicles.
BMW has been experimenting with 3D printers since the 1990s, using the technology to make components for its high-end Rolls-Royce Phantom, including the luxury vehicle’s indicator light casing.
Push-Button Machine Tooling
But Daimler’s announcement is thought to be the first widespread use of the technology to get needed parts to service centers, dealerships and other places worldwide with literally the push of a button.
The truck company will build printed spare parts using a selective laser sintering (SLS) process that use spare parts numbers to build parts for trucks, even vehicles that are several decades old or out of production altogether.
Not only will printing parts save money on shipping and delivery, but it also is expected to cut production costs by 25 percent to 45 percent, according to management consultant Roland Berger.
Other Industries Already Using Technology
The aircraft industry has been using 3D technology for many years. The US Navy uses 3D printers to create spare parts for its ships at sea, as well as for aircraft. For example, the damaged nose of a Harrier jet can be replaced with a 3D printed part even if the aircraft carrier is thousands of miles from the nearest port.
Spare parts may be just the beginning of the applications for 3D printing in the auto and truck industry. BMW has said that it plans to use the technology to make personalized vehicle parts for its customers in the future.
Some experts predict that within the next decade, homes equipped with 3D printers, raw materials and design software eventually will be able to build everything from clothing to consumer electronics, from cookware to furniture. And the places that are now used to manufacture these products eventually will become obsolete.
Those goods that can’t be built practically in the home could then be produced locally, reducing the need for large, centralized manufacturing plants.