With the unveiling of the world’s first commercial 3D printed car – the Strati- at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago last month, the day is not far off when you will be able to walk into a showroom, choose a design (including the number and shape of the seats), and have your own 3D printed car within hours. Strati, however,is not the first to offer this. Students of Denmark’s Aalborg University put together an 81 kilogramme, 3D printed concept car for the Shell Eco-marathon in May this year; what makes Strati unique is that it is the first 3D printed model that is set to roll off the assembly lines and hit the streets in early 2015.
Design and manufactured by Local Motors, the Strati is a roofless, electric, two-seater weighing under a kilogramme, and is expected yo retail at approximately $18,000. The car was built using a huge 3D printer- the size of a ship – which squirted layer after layer of a carbon-reinforced thermoplastic, through nozzles, to construct the chassis from the ground up.
The implications of commercialising 3D automobile manufacturing for a car industry – which continues to struggle with high production costs – are tremendous. For one, the material used in 3D printing, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, is very durable and relatively cheap, even in Pakistan; a kilogramme costs between Rs 4,000 and 5,000. More importantly, 3D printed steering wheels, tyres, windshields and electric motors are extremely light, reducing the overall weight of these cars by almost 95%. This will reduce fuel consumption, thereby offsetting its higher price in the long run, not to mention, it is an eco-friendly technology that will help conserve Pakistan’s depleting gas and petroleum reserves.
And if all this were not enough, you will be able to get your hands on 3D printed replacement parts and accessories within minutes, without having to wait for days, as is the current practice. However, the strength and durability of materials used to be road-tested before you can safely drive off into the sunset.
By Haroon Rasheed