Volkswagen incorporates new 3D printing process in vehicle production

Volkswagen is pressing ahead with the use of 3D printers in car production. For the first time, the innovative process, known as binder jetting, is being used to manufacture components at the company's main plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. 

Where conventional 3D printing uses a laser to build a component layer by layer from metallic powder, the binder jetting process uses an adhesive. Using the binder jetting component reduces production costs substantially, especially for sheet steel components. Volkswagen is the only automaker currently using this 3D printing technology in the production process. 

To achieve this, Volkswagen has entered into a software partnership with Siemens and deepened its existing collaboration with printer manufacturer HP. Siemens will develop the special software for additive manufacturing, while HP will be providing the industrial printers needed. 

One key process that has been worked on jointly by Siemens and Volkswagen is optimising the positioning of components in the build chamber, also known as nesting, which allows for the production of twice as many parts per print session.

The company has already successfully conducted crash tests on 3D-printed metallic vehicle components. It has also made production-line use of binder jetting economically viable with the new technology and technical collaboration.

Volkswagen aims to produce up to 100,000 components by 3D printing in Wolfsburg yearly by 2025.