Never before has a fully electric car completed the 24 hours of Le Mans. According to the InMotion student team, this must change which is why they presented their prototype today. It is due to take part in the ultimate stress test for cars in 2023.
To realize a prototype of an electric car, a large scale 3D printer was much needed. With the help of Builder Extreme 1500 at Lay3rs 3D printing in Eindhoven and a second Extreme 1500 at Builder 3D Printers HQ, the student team was able to build a prototype within several weeks. In total, 15 parts have been 3D printed on the Builder Extreme in PLA.
Huge parts such as the nose wing and rear wings were 3D printed in PLA with a 0.8 mm nozzle. With a layer height of 0.4 – 0.6 mm, the parts were ready within days and were ready for post-processing. Some parts, like the nose wing, have been cut into 2 pieces. Not because the printer was too small, but to use as little material as possible and print these parts in the efficient way. The parts were glued together, sanded and painted to look like a car that just left the showroom.
This is a perfect example how large scale 3D printing can help the automotive industry excel with modern technologies. By 3D printing of large parts, the time-to-market and product development costs can be reduced significantly.
