This document discusses rapid prototyping techniques used in automotive product development. It outlines various prototyping methods like stereolithography, fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, and electron beam melting. These allow automakers to create early concept models, test designs, gather user feedback, and ensure safety. The document also provides examples of automakers using 3D printing for scale models, wheels, air intake systems, and other vehicle components. Rapid prototyping reduces costs and time to market while improving designs.

1. Prototyping Methodology for
Automotive Product Development
M Gokul (19MCD1016)

2. What is prototyping?
It is a draft version of a product that allows you to explore your ideas
and show the intention behind a feature or the overall design
concept
Its benefits!!
• Cheaper if a product needs changes.
• Gather feedback from users at the planning and designing stages.
Automobile Prototyping: Automotive prototypes are integral parts of the entire
automotive engineering process that allow engineers to figure out how to make new
automotive products that appeal to consumers, to convince stakeholders to invest
in a new automotive product, and to ensure that a vehicle will be safe for end users.

3. Types of prototyping:
▪ Low-fidelity prototypes:
– Paper-based
– No user interactions allowed
– Enables early visualization of alternative design
– Provoke innovation and improvement
▪ High-fidelity prototypes:
– Computer-based
– Realistic user interactions i.e. involves mouse-keyboard
– High-fidelity prototypes i.e. close as true representations
– It helps collecting true human performance data.

4. Rapid Prototyping:
▪ Rapid Prototyping is a cutting edge technology which has revolutionized the
production methods.
▪ It is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model of a physical
part or assembly.
o Advantages:
– 15 times faster
– Decreased product time-to-market
– Development of better products
– Reduced costs of product development

5. Prototyping Methodology:
▪ Stereolithography (SLA)
– first successful commercial 3D printing method
– photosensitive liquid is solidified one layer at a time using a UV light
– controlled with a software file format called .stl.
– fast and inexpensive
– finished product is strong with a good surface finish
The orange filter is used to
screen out unwanted UV light

6. Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM):
– It’s a kind of 3D plastic printing
– A spool of plastic filament is used which melts inside the barrel of a
printing nozzle.
– Hot liquid resin is then laid down layer-by-layer.
– Printing is inexpensive, easy-to-use.
– Different types and colors of plastic combined in a single build
FDM printers are commonly found in
small shops and even in the home.

7. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
– It is a form of powder bed fusion
– Parts are build one layer at a time, using a laser to sinter the powder media
– It is self-supporting and additional structures are not needed.
– Works for either plastic or metal prototypes
– Complex geometries suits this better
– Surface finish is rough and finishing through secondary process is required.
Schematic SLS 3D Printing Process

8. Electron Beam Melting:
– Very similar to SLS process
– It utilizes a high-power electron beam that generates the energy needed for
high melting capacity and high productivity.
– Due to no residual stress and the vacuum ensures a clean and controlled
environment.
Schematic for Electron Beam
Melting

9. Components using Rapid Prototype Technique:
▪ Fused Deposition Modelling:
– Emission Filters and Filter Caps
– Fuel Door
– Headlight Bezel, Gauge Pod
▪ Stereolithography:
– Gear shift nobs
– Headlamps andTaillamps
– Bumpers
▪ Selective Laser Sintering:
– FuelTanks
– Heat exchangers
– Tubes and Nodes
▪ Electron Beam Melting:
– Wheel Rims
– Frame Construction
Each of the components can be distinguished
as internal, external and functional

10. Traditional Technique:
▪ Hot Forming
▪ Warm Forming
▪ High PressureThin Walled Die Casting
▪ ResinTransfer Moulding

11. Major Automotive Player into Rapid Prototyping:
▪ Porsche
▪ Mercedes-Benz
▪ Volkswagen
▪ Lamborghini

12. Case Studies

13. Lamborghini use 3D Printing for scale models:
▪ Lamborghini Aventador is a two-seat sports supercar.
▪ Key to the Aventador’s extreme performance is its carbon-fiber reinforced composite (CFRC)
monocoque
▪ Size of monocoque is a single CFRC shell:
– 81 in. long by 74.5 in. wide by 40 in. high and weights 324.5 pounds
▪ Problem Faced:-
– Build envelope was large enough to produce a 1/6 scale model of the body and chassis in one
piece.
Need:
1. To validate assembly fit
2. Verify efficient load paths
3. Identify and correct issues which were not visible on screen

14.  Solution:
o FDMTechnique was used.
o Many physical prototypes were made to validate assembly fit
o 1/6 of the scaling was done successfully.
Traditional vs FDM 1/6 scale FDM prototypes

15. 3D-printed titanium wheels(HRE3D+ wheels):
▪ Renowned sports and luxury vehicle wheel provider HRE is now using 3D
printing to develop titanium components for the McLaren P1.
▪ 3D-printed titanium concept wheels was chosen, i.e. Electron Beam Melting
HRE3D+Wheel Rims by
3D printingTechnique

16. Comparison:
▪ RapidTooling
– Titanium: higher specific strength
and is more corrosion resistant
w.r.t Aluminium
– The manufacturing process is far
more efficient
– Here only 5 percent of the
material is removed: making this a
far more sustainable process.
▪ Traditional
– Aluminum
– The wheel engineers start with a
100-pound forged block of
aluminum and remove 80 percent
to end up with the finished piece.
Note: HRE3D+ wheels only exist as prototypes

17. Supercar transformed with additive
manufacturing: Air Inlet Systems
▪ Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) collaborated with DSM to improve the performance and
design of the Mono R.
▪ The airbox sits on the car body and includes four trumpets and runners that drive pressurized
air into the engine.
▪ Traditionally made aluminum diecast composite airbox encountered to accommodate the
heat, air pressure and wind speeds.
▪ The runners sit between the engine and trumpets , mitigate wind loads of 170 mph passes
through the airbox , air pressure and heat.
▪ Problem Face:
– Create runners that would maximize airflow while standing up to harsh conditions.
– Improve the physical curvature of the runners since rougher finish can increase turbulence.

18. The Counter Measure:
o Stereolithography method was used.
o Each runner can be designed slightly differently to accommodate the various pressures each encounters as air
rushes through the airbox
o Design flexibility through additive manufacturing made this process less costly and quicker and increased
stability.
o Stereolithography material was used which gave excellent surface quality.
The Outcome:
o It shortened production time and cut part production costs by more than 50 percent.
o Overall reduced weight of the supercar allows for improved performance, as well as reduced CO2 emissions.

19. Others:
▪ Concept Cars:
– Lexus LFSA
– Mazda CX7 Koeru
▪ Headlight Frame
▪ Steering Wheel
▪ Dashboard Part Concept Car Mazda CX7 Koeru
Steering Wheel

20. PROs vs CONs
▪ Procs
– Lowers the operating costs
– Optimize Minimum material to
strength ratio
– Reduces individual part count
– Reducing build time
▪ Cons
– Some materials including few
alloyed metals, are difficult for 3D
printers to process.

21. Conclusion
▪ Rapid prototyping can be an invaluable time-saver and disaster-avoider for
product teams.
▪ With dependable feedback from users interacting with prototypes, product
managers have qualitative validation of their assumptions or clear indicators
where adjustments are required.

22. Future Scope
▪ To stay competitive in a market that is perpetually shrinking time to market,
manufacturers need to make and break new release schedules in their
product development cycles. Rapid Prototyping offers that opportunity.
▪ Improved accuracy and surface finish.

23. Thank You