Subaru Corporation
SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK BOOSTGEAR PACKAGE
Subaru has adopted HP’s Jet Fusion 3D Printing to produce several parts for its SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK BOOSTGEAR PACKAGE concept car.
The car has been designed ‘with an eye to future’ and to address traditional automotive manufacturing challenges associated with mould-making, logistics, inventory management, and production volume-led limitations around customisation. Going forward, the Japanese car-maker says it plans to 'actively adopt 3D printing.'
Exhibited earlier this year at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the parts were jointly developed and manufactured by Subaru and DMM.com LLC's 3D printing division DMM.make 3D Print, which houses five HP Jet Fusion 4200 3D printers and one HP Jet Fusion 5420W. Using HP’s polymer 3D printing, Subaru is said to have done away with the need for moulds for a series of removable components and has rapidly implemented entirely new and unique designs.
Those removable printed components include a part incorporating a magnet, which can be used to attach of tools or kitchen utensils; another which can be used to hold a smartphone to allow passengers to listen to music outside of the car; a hangar which is said to take advantage the unique, mould-less design freedoms of additive manufacturing; and a lockable compartment for temporary storage of car keys.
Subaru Corporation
Subaru removable 3D printed parts
Kanenori Susaki, Manager, Accessories Planning Department, Parts & Accessories Division at Subaru Corporation said, “We automotive designers have always been constrained by molds, struggling with issues like part separation. However, by using 3D printing, we are freed from all issues such as the angle of mould removal and the appearance of parting lines, significantly enhancing design freedom. We aim to actively adopt 3D printing, which is suitable for low-volume, high-mix production, to provide customers with more enjoyment.”
Subaru used HP 3D High Reusability PA 12 to meet heat, weather resistance and strength requirements. Using this material, the process is said to enable a high recycling rate of up to 80%. According to a statement, Subaru envisions a future where parts can be produced anywhere and eliminate the need for inventories and logistical burdens.
Nobuki Okado, Managing Director at HP Japan Inc. said the company plans to “continue to collaborate with domestic partners and customers to provide the latest solutions that meet industry needs.”
