BMW Parts 3D Printing – Video

3D printing is rapidly becoming one of the fastest adopted manufacturing and prototyping technologies throughout the automotive industry. Recently it has been used to manufacture engine parts, customized exhaust systems, a replica of historical race cars and even entire road-ready cars. While 3D printing is not a new technology by any means, it is only in the last half-decade that it has started to become adopted by most of the automobile manufacturing industry. But not everyone is just now jumping on the 3D printing bandwagon, some companies can be considered pioneers and have been using it for decades.

German automobile company BMW was a very early adopter of 3D printing and additive manufacturing technology, and this year marks the twenty-fifth year that they have used it to build better cars. When they opened their Rapid Technologies Center back in 1990, they primarily used their stereolithography machine to 3D print early concepts and component prototypes. The parts would often be used as a proof of concept before they moved on to traditional tooling, or be used for model vehicles. However, according to BMW those early positive experiences with 3D printing helped shaped how the company used 3D printing today, and how they will be using it in the future.