Stratasys Ltd., the 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions company, says automaker Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd, (Daihatsu) is one of the first manufacturers to deliver on the 3D printing vision of mass customization of end-use parts, collaborating with Stratasys and top local designers.
3D printing has expanded from being a prototying tool, to factory tooling and now even used for short run production. It is expected to be used for mass customization of customer products in the near future. Based in Ikeda, Osaka, Japan, Daihatsu has partnered with 3D printing solutions company Stratasys, Kota Nezu from industrial design company Znug Design, Inc. and 3D creator Sun Junjie to turn the vision into reality. Designers created 15 “Effect Skins” – intricate geometric and organic patterns in 10 different colors that are 3D printed using Stratasys Fortus 3D printers. Customers can adjust the parameters of the designs themselves, greatly increasing the numbers of options and allowing “one-off” customization for each consumer.
The skins may be ordered for front and rear bumpers and fenders.
The Effect Skins are 3D printed on Fortus® Production 3D Printers from Stratasys using ASA thermoplastic which is very durable, UV resistant and aesthetically appealing. “What would have taken two to three months to develop can now be produced in two weeks,” says Mr. Osamu Fujishita, General Manager, Corporate Planning Department, Brand DNA Office, Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.
The traditional manufacturing method of reducing costs is the mass production of identical parts to take advantage of economies of scale. But this Effect Skins project illustrates the power of 3D printing when it comes to creating on-demand product parts with high customizability and rich design properties. “This project would not have been possible with traditional manufacturing or tooling methods,” explains Mr. Kota Nezu, Znug Design.
“We believe on-demand production [with 3D printing] offers definite benefits to supply chain efficiencies,” adds Osamu Fujishita. “And it allows easy access for customers.”
The Effect Skin project is being tested in 2016 in select markets with plans for commercialization in early 2017.
About Stratasys
Stratasys has been a defining force and dominant player in 3D printing and additive manufacturing for more than 25 years– shaping the way things are made. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel, the company empowers customers across a broad range of vertical markets by enabling new paradigms for design and manufacturing. The company’s solutions provide customers with unmatched design freedom and manufacturing flexibility – reducing time-to-market and lowering development costs, while improving designs and communications. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape, and the Stratasys ecosystem includes 3D printers for prototyping and production; a wide range of 3D printing materials; parts on-demand via Stratasys Direct Manufacturing; strategic consulting and professional services; and the Thingiverse and GrabCAD communities with over 2 million 3D printable files for free designs. With more than 2,700 employees and 800 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents, Stratasys has received more than 30 technology and leadership awards.
