Automobile industry sees a future in 3D

Lu Xiaofeng and Yang Wenjie

The combination of vehicle manufacturing and 3D printing is set to improve efficiency in the industry.

The National Additive Manufacturing and Innovation Center and Shanghai International Automobile City has signed an agreement on in Anting, Jiading District.

The two parties plan to work together on an automobile 3D printing public platform, auto structure design and research, composite material mold making and other research.

A National Additive Manufacturing and Innovation Center-Shanghai International Automobile City Auto Research Institute will be established in Jiading.

Automobile manufacturing with the 3D printing technology will come into effect.  

Lu Bingheng, chief engineer of the research institute and academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Vice District Director Lu Zufang were at the launch ceremony.

“Current electronic vehicles all use traditional vehicle body while specific model EVs are yet to be made,” said Lu. With the introduction of composite materials, the vehicle weight can be cut by 40-50 percent.

“In order to promote widespread use of new energy cars, it is a trend to make them lighter. The research institute will put much effort in this respect,” Lu said.

The institute aims to build an innovation platform especially for automobile making, serving car enterprises in lowering research and development costs and improving up efficiency. The innovation on the key technologies can be expected.   

The center is the only innovation institution in the field in China, devoted to solving problems in key technologies, technology spread and the initial stage of commercialization.