General Motors Adding More 3D Printing to Advance Manufacturing
By utilizing additive manufacturing such as 3D printing, GM is able to improve production output, cut costs, and enhance safety.
Like all of us, General Motors had to throw out the rule book this year. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it forced many in manufacturing to look at and alter the process. Change was important not just for safety, but also to prepare automakers for the changes in rapidly evolving technology. One such method that has shown it is effective and affordable is 3D printing and additive manufacturing.
In April, GM got a crash course in 3D printing when they agreed to produce 30,000 critical care ventilators. All 3D printed tooling for the ventilators was done on Stratasys systems. With a proven record of versatility and reliability, General Motors has announced that they will use more 3D technology in automotive production.
“With the pace of change in modern industry accelerating and business uncertainty increasing, 3D printing technology is helping us meet these challenges and become more nimble as a company,” said GM’s director of additive manufacturing, Ron Daul. “We’ve been on this journey for more than 30 years, but 3D printing is becoming even more widespread at our company, with more than 700 employees now trained to use the technology. Additive manufacturing is consistently providing us more rapid and efficient product development, tooling and assembly aids, with even more benefits to come.”
How will 3D printing work on the lines? It expedites the speed of production, increases weight reduction, and above all else is very cost efficient. A winning combination for automotive production. The technology can be used to 3D print spare parts, produce end-use parts closer to assembly, help manufacturing lines retool faster, and develop new and better prototypes more quickly.
It is a smart move for GM to gain a competitive advantage. And innovative tech is one solid solution. The automaker has been using 3D printing since 1989 for prototyping. In fact, 75 percent of the parts in the prototype of its 2020 Chevrolet Corvette were 3D-printed, and GM now has 3D printers installed in many production facilities around the world. The company is increasingly moving beyond prototyping to production-related applications like tooling.
Material innovation and machine repeatability have made a difference, increased and high strength-to-weight ratio. As such, heavy parts that previously were made of metal may now be 3D printed in polymers. And these production-grade 3D systems are precise, consistent, and versatile.
“GM is making the smart investments in 3D printing to succeed in this new normal of uncertainty and disruption,” said Stratasys Americas President Rich Garrity. “As a result, GM has manufacturing lines that are more adaptable and less expensive, and products that are developed faster and better. They are a clear model for the future of additive manufacturing in the automotive industry.”
Sounds like a major improvement on the lines, and in the beautiful cars and trucks that they produce.
Photos: General Motors
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