Additive Manufacturing for Automotive Industry: Status, Challenges and Future Perspectives
Lequn Chen, Nicholas Poh Huat Ng, J. Jung, Seung Ki Moon
Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) has risen as a revolutionary tool in the automotive industry, facilitating the creation of intricate, lightweight, and tailored parts that enhance efficiency and eco-friendliness. This mini-review offers insights into the present landscape and potential directions of AM in the automotive industry. A range of AM techniques, such as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Stereolithography (SLA), Binder Jetting (BJ), Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), and Selective Laser Melting (SLM), are discussed, emphasizing their mechanisms, materials, and particular uses in the automotive domain. Furthermore, the advantages of AM in the automotive industry are discussed, emphasizing material efficiency and lightweighting, design flexibility and customization, rapid prototyping and accelerated product development, as well as applications in electric vehicles (EV). Innovative applications and case studies are presented to showcase the recent advancements in the automotive industry facilitated by AM. By understanding the current state and potential of AM, stakeholders can better strategize and harness the power of AM to drive the future of automotive design and production.