Humans express their individuality through distinctive appearance and behavior. This extends to owning objects and decorating home or office spaces. Fashion is the same. By observing whether someone quickly follows constantly changing trends or not, we can infer whether that person likes to present themselves stylishly or tends to be conservative.



The automobile is one of the objects through which we can glimpse people's individuality. Many people will select a car considering practical aspects such as passenger capacity, load capacity, and maintenance costs. Some people might prioritize a car's performance and appearance, and a small minority might view a car as a means to display their wealth.

However, even most "rational and practical" consumers want to reflect their own individuality within a limited range when selecting a car, such as manufacturer, model, and color. This is natural. According to statistical research conducted at Harvard University, we spend 38,000 hours driving in a car throughout our lifetime. This corresponds to the average American driving 101 minutes per day.

In the early automobile market, choices were limited, and Henry Ford famously said, "Customers can choose any color they want. As long as it is black." Today, there are more diverse vehicle types, interiors, and styles to choose from. However, even if the probability of encountering an identical car on the road is not high, true customization to the extent of full personalization is not yet possible.

I am not saying that everyone wants a 'custom car' that evokes tremendous power, luxurious decoration, and bold colors. What I mean is that people may want to impart something uniquely their own in automobile design and appearance without going to such extremes. What makes this wish possible is the 3D printer.


Limitations of Possibility
In theory, it is possible to manufacture automobiles using 3D printing technology. However, the scenario in which a customer visits an automobile dealership, specifies what they want, orders a car made to order, and immediately drives it away is close to fantasy, difficult to realize at least in the near future.

Today's automobiles are composed of nearly 20,000 components of various shapes, sizes, and materials. It is impossible to print all of this with a single machine at once on the spot. This is aside from the complexity of electronic components that require specialized manufacturing processes.

Another issue is economies of scale. Today's automobile assembly lines have evolved from teams of multiple people assembling one car at a time to processes divided among workers, with manufacturing conducted by process. Multiple automobiles are manufactured simultaneously within factories, and the use of robotic machinery is increasing to perform individual tasks more efficiently. Even acknowledging the advantages of automation and robot adoption, attempting to reverse this manufacturing strategy would lose the cost advantages of mass production.

I am not saying that manufacturing cars with 3D printing is mere fantasy. Local Motors is demonstrating what is possible regarding autonomous vehicles. Despite these possibilities, most industry experts believe that large-scale customized production of automobiles will be impossible even after another 100 years. This is because the infrastructure to support it has not been established, and there are too many design constraints that need to be resolved. Compliance with safety regulations is of course also necessary. A different perspective is needed to utilize 3D printing in the automobile industry.


Individual Component Manufacturing
Automobile design and rational mass manufacturing have changed and developed over not just several decades but nearly over a century. Therefore, even though 3D printing technology is evolving rapidly, it will not change everything overnight. It has now become possible to print the mechanical framework of current automobiles. However, it is necessary to understand the requirements of design aspects and the importance of material selection.

Regardless of how materials are formed to manufacture a specific component, what is more important is how it is designed to achieve the required functionality. At this point, experts commonly reiterate the phrase, "Leave design to the designers." Even if you know well what you want, designing it to function properly is difficult. Setting aside safety concerns, that is.

Mechanical components must meet additional requirements. While achieving strength and rigidity, they must be lightweight and durable. The impact these components have on automobile handling and aerodynamic performance is a difficult issue even for the most capable designers. And another important consideration is safety and reliability. Safety is subject to strict regulations and must pass specified tests. Of course, cost-effectiveness is also an essential factor.

Currently, the most suitable materials for 3D printers are plastic and metal. However, manufacturing plastic bumpers or steel body panels would not only require large-scale printers but would also be less cost-effective than using injection molding equipment or sheet metal presses.

On the other hand, 3D printers could utilize materials such as aluminum. Aluminum is difficult to work with using current production techniques, but 3D printing could be used to manufacture lightweight aluminum frames.


Challenging the Impossible
Returning to the question of economics between customization and mass manufacturing, today's automobile companies face material management challenges by allowing selection of various options.

While it is true that mass production can reduce costs, when consumers order models that are not in inventory, to avoid further delays in procuring the relevant components while already waiting, it is necessary to secure necessary components in advance based on demand forecasts for options.

The broader the range of options available to choose from, the more serious this problem becomes. In such cases, 3D printing can be used to reduce costs in this dilemma related to consumer choices.

There is a cost involved in securing components, and this cost increases by the number of available options. For example, if each body accessory such as radiator grille, door trim, mirror cover, and trunk sill protector were to be available in black, chrome, and several other colors, the variety of components that would need to be secured would already amount to about 20 types. In such cases, printing on demand might be more economically justified.

Furthermore, customized body panels could be manufactured. There are also proposals for automobile manufacturers to allow consumers to add functionality and detailed styling to pre-made automobile chassis and bodies. To do this, CAD software can be used to ensure everything works properly, and virtual wind tunnel testing and performance testing can also be conducted.

Whether this will be the future of the automobile industry remains to be seen. What is certain is that the automobile industry will adopt 3D printing technology in some form, just as the aerospace industry did to design lighter and performance-innovative components.

3D printing will be able to solve problems arising from the explosive increase in automobile options. However, using 3D printing for fully customized production will be another challenge. This will still remain the domain of the aftermarket and specialty shops.



This article is a summary of a Mouser Electronics contributed article on Custom Cars for Everyone with 3D Printing.