Talk about robots in the car factories...

[BADecker]

Lightweight Car production with disruptive 3D print process

The components will be constructed using selective laser melting (SLM). SLM uses a 3-Dimensional Computer Aided Design (CAD) model to digitally reproduce the object in a number of layers.

Each layer is sequentially recreated by melting sections of a bed of aluminium alloy powder using a laser beam. Layer by layer, the melted particles fuse and solidify to form novel structures that can be made up from complex lattices to provide a light-weight component.
 

SLM is a highly disruptive AM technology, helping to increase functionality and lower the number of separate components in production. This significant mass saving cuts component costs and increases overall vehicle efficiency.

The Functional Lattices for Automotive Components (FLAC) project aims to achieve significant weight reductions in mass (40-80 per cent) and optimised thermo-mechanical performance in new vehicle components.

Read more at http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/01/lightweight-car-production-with.html.

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1715582283

[VeronAncient]

wow amazing 

[Hydrogen]

They don't mention how strong it is in comparison to traditional manufacturing processes.

 

[Red Fish]

It is future technology, which will save a lot, but the question is - what will be the expenses of this technology for manufacture. Lab technologies sometimes offer something very innovative, but in practise manufacturing plants use only reliable technologies, which are not very expensive. Worl largest car manufacturers pay a lot to invest only reliable technologies, like BMW invest robot technologies, but not lab people fantasies.

[BADecker]

The simplicity of building cars like this might bring the expense down. Remember, every time we build a new model, there have to be all kinds of design changes and templates made, just to see if the prototype of the model is feasible.

This form of manufacture won't need any templates. The designs can be computerized, and the prototypes built as easily as programming a computer. The whole expense and size of making new models comes down once this operation gets all the bugs worked out.

[krish28042]

Car manufacturing robots give automotive companies a competitive advantage. They improve quality and reduce warranty costs; increase capacity and relieve and protect workers from dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs. Car assembly plants use robots exclusively for spot welding and painting, but there are many other opportunities to use robots throughout the supply chain

[YRFCHIPOJNP]

manufacturers would find smth to say for justifying excessive costs