3D Printing

3d printed electric car for less than $13,000

You really can build a car in a 3D printer. Of course, it needs to be a large printer. Two such 3d printers exist to my knowledge–the BAAM from Cincinnati Inc., and the Objet1000 from Stratasys. Recently, the Objet1000 was used to build an energy efficient, compact, street-wise, and affordable car—the StreetScooter C16.

The StreetScooter C16 is an electric production vehicle available for under €10,000. If you are going to Euromold, it will be on display at the show.

The fully-functional prototype of StreetScooter C16 electric car was developed in just 12 months by replacing traditional automotive manufacturing processes with Stratasys 3D printing throughout the design phase.
The fully-functional prototype of StreetScooter C16 electric car was developed in just 12 months by replacing traditional automotive manufacturing processes with Stratasys 3D printing throughout the design phase.

The StreetScooter project was developed by the Production of Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of Aachen University.  The company StreetScooter was founded in 2010 with the goal of developing an electric car that rivaled conventional vehicles on price with realistic performance, safety and sustainability. While specifications vary from model to model, a StreetScooter C16 is expected to typically weigh 450 kg – (1000 lb) excluding the battery, has a range of a minimum of 100 km (80 miles) and delivers a top speed of 100 km/h (60 mph). For Europe, this is an ideal city vehicle. For the U.S. market, it would work in a number of cities.

The large format Objet1000 Multi-material 3D Production System was used for all the car’s exterior plastic parts, including the large front and back panels, door panels, bumper systems, side skirts, wheel arches, lamp masks, and a few interior components such as the retainer instrument board and a host of smaller components. The material used was Digital ABS material, enabling the engineering team to build a prototype car that could perform in strenuous testing environments to the same level as a vehicle made of traditionally manufactured parts.

Aachen University has the world’s largest multi-material 3D printer from Stratasys, the Objet1000, with the ability to produce parts combining hard and soft materials, all in a single build
Aachen University has the world’s largest multi-material 3D printer from Stratasys, the Objet1000, with the ability to produce parts combining hard and soft materials, all in a single build

Throughout the development of the StreetScooter C16, the Objet1000 was used for making prototype parts as well as end-use manufactured parts and production tools in the final development stages. The 3D Production System’s huge 1000 x 800 x 500 mm (39.3 x 31.4 x 19.5 in.) build tray gave it the ability to 3D print the full range of components up to a meter in length.

C-Profile of the StreetScooter C16 door – 3D printed 1:1 scale in a single build using Stratasys’ tough Digital ABS material, enabling the part to be mounted directly onto the car frame for testing.
C-Profile of the StreetScooter C16 door – 3D printed 1:1 scale in a single build using Stratasys’ tough Digital ABS material, enabling the part to be mounted directly onto the car frame for testing.

 

The StreetScooter project was initiated and funded by university professors and leading German automotive suppliers. More than 80 companies participated, including Stratasys, to work with “Lead Engineering Groups” dedicated to different areas of StreetScooter’s development.

“The Objet1000 is the largest multi-material 3D Production System on the market and Aachen University was the first university in the world to have one,” said Achim Kampker, Professor of Production Management in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Aachen University. “Being able to use it in the development of large and small parts for StreetScooter was exciting in itself, but the contribution the 3D printed parts made to the construction of the car was enormous. The ability to produce full-scale prototypes that perform like the final parts, accelerated testing and design verification, enabling us to bring to market a prototype electric car in just 12 months – something that is just unimaginable with traditional manufacturing.”

Various components of the StreetScooter were 3D printed in the early design phase of the car for the fast realization of geometric and functional prototypes. These included, for example, the retainer instrument board, the drive mode switch panel, the mirror compartment, and the Deutsche Post bonnet logo. The final production model of StreetScooter was developed for Deutsche Post AG and is 4.3m3 capacity delivery van version that is now operational in Germany.

“With the advanced multi-material 3D printing technology available to us from Stratasys, vehicles can be easily customized for specific customers, enabling us to design on-the-fly,” added Prof. Achim Kampker. “These cars can be developed from scratch and ready in a matter of months, not years, as with traditional automotive production processes. The StreetScooter project has demonstrated to us how a whole new approach to car design and manufacturing is possible with 3D printing.