Introduction of the world’s only full color, multi-material 3D printing technology will help Volkswagen AG to drive further innovation in new vehicle design for its customers
BADEN BADEN, Germany — (BUSINESS WIRE) — November 24, 2020 — Volkswagen, one of the world’s most iconic automotive manufacturers and the largest car manufacturer globally, has invested in the world’s only full color, multi-material 3D printing technology from Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS) to enhance its prototyping capabilities and open up new opportunities within automotive design. Following the installation of two PolyJet Technology™-based Stratasys J850™ 3D Printers, the Volkswagen Pre-Series-Center is 3D printing a wide range of ultra-realistic prototypes for both interior and exterior applications – helping the company to drive further innovation within new vehicle design.
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Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line (Image Source: Volkswagen AG). With its Stratasys J850 3D printers, the Volkswagen Pre-Series-Center is able to print ultra-realistic prototypes for interior vehicle applications. (Photo: Business Wire)
Volkswagen has over 25 years of 3D printing experience to innovate the design and production of vehicles for its customers. According to the company, this latest investment allows the design team to meet Volkswagen’s stringent quality requirements, with the capability to now create complex multi-material prototypes that mirror final production parts with up to 99% precision. This level of realism will enable the team to better test and improve overall part designs.
The J850 provides Volkswagen the unique ability to produce full-color prototypes in up to seven different materials varying in rigidity, flexibility, opaqueness, and transparency – all in a single print. This saves significant time and costs over traditional multi-step design processes such as part assembly and painting.
For vehicle interiors, the Volkswagen Pre-Series-Center team is also 3D printing parts with different textured surfaces – from fabric and leather to wood. Furthermore, the use of an advanced transparent material called VeroUltraClear allows the team to replicate the clarity of glass. The ability to simulate these vehicle features with true-to-life models gives designers the creative freedom to test and perfect new designs quickly and cost-effectively.
Peter Bartels, head of the Volkswagen Pre-Series-Center, comments: “Volkswagen has always put innovation at the heart of everything it does, in order to develop vehicles that excite our customers and make them proud to own. To achieve this, it is essential we provide our design teams with the latest cutting-edge technologies to unleash their creativity and enable them to set the standard in automotive design. The recent addition of the J850 3D Printers offers us additional capabilities that strengthen our 3D printing operations and allow us to further optimize our design process.”
Andreas Langfeld, President EMEA, Stratasys, adds: “Volkswagen has been a longstanding customer who has always embraced the value of PolyJet 3D printing and pushed the boundaries of the technology to innovate the design process. The J850 is our most advanced system yet, offering companies the means to take their design capabilities to the next level and gain a competitive edge. We are very excited to see what creative applications the Volkswagen team can develop with this technology.”
Stratasys is a global leader in additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology and is the manufacturer of FDM®, PolyJet™, and stereolithography 3D printers. The company’s technologies are used to create prototypes, manufacturing tools, and production parts for industries including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, consumer products and education. For more than 30 years, Stratasys products have helped manufacturers reduce product-development time, cost, and time-to-market, as well as reduce or eliminate tooling costs and improve product quality. The Stratasys 3D printing ecosystem of solutions and expertise includes 3D printers, materials, software, expert services, and on-demand parts production. Online at: www.stratasys.com
To learn more about Stratasys, visit www.stratasys.com, the Stratasys blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook. Our corporate social media accounts share general information about Stratasys globally and specific information in the countries in which we operate. As necessary and mandated by applicable law, Stratasys will also include such information in its public regulatory and disclosure filings.
Stratasys, PolyJet, and Stratasys J850 are trademarks of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and Stratasys assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of these non-Stratasys products.
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