Ford tests large-scale 3D printing

Ford Motor Company is exploring how large one-piece automotive parts, like car spoilers, can be printed for prototyping and future production vehicles. Ford is the first automaker to pilot the Stratasys Infinite Build three-dimensional (3D) printer.   Capable of printing car parts of practically any shape or length, the Stratasys Infinite Build system could be a breakthrough for vehicle manufacturing, providing a more efficient and affordable way to produce tooling, or prototype parts or components at low volumes, for Ford Performance vehicles, or for personalised car parts.   “With the Infinite Build technology, we are now able to print large tools, fixtures and components, making us nimbler in design iterations,” says Ford technical leader for additive manufacturing research Ellen Lee.