VW Will Use HP’s New Metal Jet Fusion Printer to Make Customized Car Parts

German car manufacturer Volkswagen has announced that it will use the new HP Metal Jet 3D printer to simplify and speed up production. Compared to other metal 3D printing methods, HP claims that this new process will improve productivity by up to 50x. Volkswagen has partnered with HP and GKN Powder Metallurgy to develop a metal 3D printing workflow that will be advantageous for use in mass production. Dr Martin Goede, Head of Technology Planning and Development at Volkswagen, said: “Automotive production is facing major challenges: our customers are increasingly expecting more personalization options. At the same time, complexity is increasing with the number of new models. That’s why we are relying on state-of-the-art technologies to ensure a smooth and fast production. 3D printing plays a particularly important role in manufacturing of individual parts.” Currently, a Volkswagen vehicle is made up of between 6,000 to 8,000 different parts. 3D printing has previously mainly been used in the automotive sector for manufacturing prototypes or special individual parts. But now, with HP’s 3D Metal Jet technology on the way, it will be possible to produce a large number of parts without needing to produce corresponding tools. As a result, the time it takes to manufacture a part is drastically reduced. Fellow German car company BMW is already using 3D Printing to manufacture customized and personalised parts for its Mini range of cars