3D printing in the automotive sector

Stefan Hoffmann, a maintenance engineer in the toolmaking department, has been working at thyssenkrupp Springs & Stabilizers for 14 years. After completing his training as a mechatronics technician, pursuing a dual mechanical engineering degree, and gaining experience in various departments of the automotive supplier, he is now responsible for 3D printing in toolmaking.

How 3D Printing is Transforming Production

"In additive manufacturing, the focus is on the development and production of components that either cannot be produced with conventional methods or for which the manufacturing process is to be simplified," explains Stefan Hoffmann. The key advantage of 3D printing lies in time savings compared to production using traditional manufacturing methods. Products that used to take a significant amount of time to manufacture can now be produced within a few hours. "We have made the most significant progress in this area, as we can provide a fully printed model within a day," says Stefan Hoffmann. Thanks to additive manufacturing, the expert can now supply internal and external customers with 3D-printed parts, reduce waiting times for components, and increase the efficiency of departments.

Furthermore, the 3D-printed spare parts often exhibit significantly better durability than the original parts, according to Hoffmann: "This is partly due to our choice of materials. As a result, we were able to convince automotive customers to transfer orders to our facility in Hagen." A prime example is the production of spring caps for the Fisker Ocean (2022) and the Jaguar Landrover (2023). "These 'spring caps enable the installation of many new automotive springs and are often made of rubber," explains Stefan Hoffmann. With the 3D printing of rubber spring caps, the waiting time for such parts can be significantly reduced compared to the traditional injection molding process for spring caps. Additionally, they provide better damping than metal and plastic variants and are often more cost-effective in production.

Uncomplicated Spare Part Manufacturing – 3D Printing in Action

When looking at the production and quality assurance of components at thyssenkrupp Springs & Stabilizers, 3D printing saves a significant amount of time and costs. "External tool suppliers incur enormous costs, and sometimes a simple plastic part is sufficient, for example, to perform a spring cap test," explains Stefan Hoffmann. Additionally, custom-made or low-volume components are often expensive. To produce them, a tool may need to be specially made, which in turn involves time and effort. "During the design and development phase, a spring cap needs changes from time to time. There are many correction loops until we finally have a perfectly fitting spring cap in our hands. If you were to produce something like this the 'normal way,' the process would take months. With additive manufacturing, we can now achieve this in just a few days," Hoffmann elaborates.

It all began in the year 2018 with Stefan Hoffmann, his plant manager colleague Marco Roland, and a printer. Now, there are eight of them. The list of 3D-printed components has grown to encompass more than 1,200 projects. "I expect that in the future, we will find more and more parts in production vehicles that are 3D-printed because with the decreasing individual traffic and the resulting lower vehicle numbers, a more elaborate production wouldn't be cost-effective," says Hoffmann. Currently, the projects can still be categorized into four main areas: the production of spare parts for production, manufacturing, and testing machines; test setups for the testing and quality assurance area; the manufacturing of prototypes; and finally, the production of spring caps for direct installation in vehicles.

Limitless Possibilities

The potential of 3D printing is enormous. Thanks to additive manufacturing, thyssenkrupp Springs & Stabilizers has been able to completely rethink its production and processes. Low production costs shortened delivery times, and a short response time between the issuance of a printing order and the completion of the print could be crucial for the manufacturing of components in the automotive sector in the future. However, not only time savings play an important role but also the creation of spare parts for older machines or vehicles, the production of complex components, or even when original spare parts are no longer available.

The increased availability through mass production is another crucial aspect favoring 3D printing. This allows for a significant boost in the availability of spare parts since the needed components can be manufactured on demand. According to Hoffmann, the need for stocking spare parts would no longer be necessary in this scenario.