elastoproxy.com 3D Printing> cheaper than EV prototype-part molds
http://venturebeat.com/2014/02/20/local-motors-signs-contract-to-deliver-first-3d-printed-electric-vehicle-at-imts-2014/ Local Motors Signs Contract to Deliver First 3D-Printed Electric Vehicle at IMTS 2014 February 20, 2014 Business Wire [image / Business Wire http://mms.businesswire.com/media/20140220005459/en/404066/4/rallyfighter_imts_2013_sunrise_street_parkinglot_industrial-001.jpg Local Motors Rally Fighter with custom IMTS 2014 wrap near the Local Motors Microfactory in Chandler, Arizona ] Check out our press release hub, powered by Business Wire. It's a one stop shop for industry announcements to help you stay on top of the latest technology and investment trends. Get the scoop here. PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)–February 20, 2014– Local Motors, Inc. today announced that AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology will be the first customer for its previously announced 3D-printed production vehicle. Local Motors will build and deliver the first direct digital manufactured vehicle at IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show 2014 in Chicago, Illinois, September 8-13, 2014. Designed by the company’s global community and built using the material science and advanced manufacturing techniques available at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Local Motors will produce an electric vehicle purpose-built for the urban transportation needs of Chicago. IMTS, the largest and longest running manufacturing technology trade show in the United States, is held every two years at the McCormick Place Exhibition Center in Chicago. At IMTS 2012, Local Motors built their flagship Rally Fighter from the ground up in 5 days over the course of the 6-day show. This year, AMT and Local Motors have partnered to demonstrate how sustainable green technologies, utilizing advanced manufacturing techniques that are both additive and subtractive, can deliver stronger, safer, faster, more efficient vehicles. “IMTS is the perfect venue on which to showcase the next evolution of Local Motors’ World of Vehicle Innovations,” said Local Motors CEO Jay Rogers. “To deliver the first co-created, locally relevant, 3D-printed vehicle on an international stage dedicated to celebrating cutting-edge manufacturing technology is powerful reinforcement of our commitment to driving the Third Industrial Revolution.” “Local Motors is undeniably the first disruptive entrant into the U.S. automotive industry in decades,” said Bonnie Gurney, Director – Communications for AMT. “The innovations they are driving in the design, manufacture and sale of vehicles has been empowering individual innovators since 2007. Partnering with them to deliver safer, more functional, lightweight and efficient vehicles via new, innovative manufacturing technologies is core to our commitment to bring global technology advancements to the local level.” The finished vehicle will be used as an example of how sustainable green technologies can reduce life-cycle energy and greenhouse gas emissions, lower production cost, and create new products and opportunities for high paying jobs. About Local Motors ... localmotors.com ... About AMT ... AMTonline.org. About IMTS ... IMTS.com [Sept. 8-13, 2014, Chicago, IL] Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140220005459/en/ For more information, to request images or to schedule interviews, ... [email protected] ... [email protected] [© venturebeat.com] http://roboticstomorrow.com/news/2014/02/19/3d-printing-for-auto-parts-prototyping-elasto-proxy-announces-case-study-/23136 3D Printing for Auto Parts Prototyping: Elasto Proxy Announces Case Study 02/19/14 Visit http://www.elastoproxy.com for further information Elasto Proxy, supplier of specialty seals and custom insulation, announces case study about how 3D printing supports mold making, prototyping, and low-volume production of rubber auto parts. Custom fabricator used 3D printed part to make molds and provide prototypes to U.S.-based maker of electric cars. Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada February 18, 2014 Electric vehicles aren't just for city streets and highways. Smaller, golf cart-like models are used in gated communities for short trips to a neighbor's house or the grocery store. The electric vehicle industry isn't as large as the global automotive industry, of course, but green car companies still need to strengthen their supply chains. That's true for production runs of auto parts as well as prototypes. Recently, a U.S.-based maker of electric cars asked Elasto Proxy to mold small quantities of rubber auto parts for two designs. The cost of tooling for the larger part was especially expensive at $35,000 per mold. The automaker asked for a fast but cost-effective way to produce prototype parts, and Elasto Proxy delivered a solution on a dime. 3D Printed Parts 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is a technology that's been described as the starting point for a new Industrial Revolution. Recent advances in 3D printers are impressive, but their utility depends upon how well they work with software applications such as Solid Edge, a three-dimensional (3D) tool for solid modeling. The ability of a 3D printer to produce rubber parts with the right characteristics is also critical. To reduce mold-making costs for the electric vehicle customer, Elasto Proxy listened to all of the car company's needs before offering a solution. As the carmaker explained, the purpose of producing the larger, more complex parts was to validate their shape and texture. That's when Elasto Proxy, a custom fabricator with expertise in technical design, suggested a solution that cost just $1500 to make, a 95% savings. Custom Auto Parts for Testing To create the solution, Elasto Proxy teamed with an expert in 3D printing services. The partner used a 3D printer to produce an exact replica of the prototype part. Instead of making this part out of EPDM rubber, however, our partner used PVC, a hard plastic. Because 3D printing adds materials layer-by-layer, a 3D printer cannot produce a rubber part with sufficient shape memory. Using the 3D-printed part, Elasto Proxy made a mold which allowed for the creation of a prototype needed by the carmaker suitable for testing. However, this time the part was made out of a softer rubbery material, similar to EPDM. The hard plastic prototype would have been useless in testing as it does not have the same characteristics as EPDM. The prototype's material properties were similar enough for testing purposes. For the customer, validating the part's design is critical, especially before investing $35,000 on a mold for production runs. Creating a "test mold" for that amount isn't cost-effective, especially since any changes between prototyping and production would require creating a new mold ... [© 2013 RoboticsTomorrow] http://www.complex.com/rides/2014/02/first-3d-printed-electric-vehicle Local Motors is Going to Make the First 3D Printed Electric Vehicle [02/21/14] - In September, at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago, IL, Local Motors will present the first electric vehicle made with a 3D printer ... For all EVLN posts use: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date Here are today's archive-only EV posts: EVLN: Blanding, UT Supercharger used on the great electric road trip EVLN: Kenguru Hatchback EV For Wheelchair Drivers EVLN: Madrid.es city council workers will use Leaf EVs starting March 1 EVLN: People don't ask about range angst, they do ask about range ... EVLN: £19+k Volkswagen e-up! EV, Road Test + EVLN: Dyed-in-the-wool ice geek's EV-jeebies {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Local-Motors-Will-Build-Deliver-The-1st-3D-Printed-EV-IMTS-2014-tp4668107.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
