BMW expands use of additive manufacturing processes

More than 10,000 additively-manufactured parts are needed to build a Rolls-Royce Phantom. BMW Group has been using additive components from 3D printers since 2012 in their series production to make this happen. Based on experience, this has proven to be the best way to do it. We’ll see more of this as the German automaker expands its use for future car production.

Since the beginning of 2016, the Additive Manufacturing Center at the BMW’s Research and Innovation Center (FIZ) has been using the parts forming processes for the new Rolls-Royce Dawn. As BMW uses it even more, they are looking to push the evolution of the process and make it even more efficiently plugged-in to their manufacturing processes.

The BMW Group is looking to acquire and use advanced additive-manufacturing methods like Planar 3D printing technologies that are faster and more cost-efficient. Investing in these technologies fits well with the goal of the automaker of making manufacturing economical yet efficient.

Udo Hänle is the head of Production Strategy and Technical Integration at BMW. In a press release, he said: “Additive technologies will be one of the main production methods of the future for the BMW Group – with promising potential. The integration of additively-manufactured components into Rolls-Royce series production is another important milestone for us on the road to using this method on a large-scale. By utilising new technologies, we will be able to shorten production times further in the future and increasingly exploit the potential of tool-less manufacturing methods.”

A few examples of Rolls-Royce Phantom parts made from the 3D printing process are center lock buttons, plastic holders for hazard-warning lights, electronic parking brakes, and sockets. We’ll be seeing more additively-manufactured parts as the program expands. It is just more practical especially for components with complicated design that cannot be produced fast in any other way. Rest assured that BMW is applying the same high-quality standards in additive-manufacturing.