Extending the Life of Classic Cars, the Additive Manufacturing Way

Abstract There has been a steadily increasing global market for Additively Manufactured (AM) products, with a growth forecast of USD 23.75 billion by 2027. Of the various industrial sectors applying AM, the automotive/motor vehicles market takes up approximately 18% share. Saying AM is being widely used in the automotive sector with rapidly growing application avenues is not an overstatement. One such section of the automotive industry is the classic cars. Classic cars are 20 years or more older cars no longer in regular production, preserved and restored for their historical value. Classic cars face a huge problem of spare parts. The non-availability of the spare part leads to the break-down of the car, leaving them as display pieces or eventual scrapping. It is not economically viable to manufacture the spare parts in small volume due to challenges such as high cost of tooling, and indefinite storage time. Additive manufacturing offers attractive solutions to problems precisely such as these as it requires no additional tooling and can produce functional parts in small batches on-demand, provided accurate three-dimensional model data is available. This 3D model data is converted to one of the AM compatible file formats such as STL, AMF, 3MF etc. and then is processed using a Slicer Software. The slicer software converts three-dimensional (3-D) model data to two-dimensional (2-D) layer information that will be printed by the AM machine. Obtaining drawings or 3-D model information for classic car parts is a daunting challenge in itself, often deemed impossible. However, with the advances in imaging and scanning combined with computer aided design technologies, it is shown to be possible to generate the 3-D model data from even partial or broken parts. Now, producing spare parts using AM is not just feasible but has been successfully applied. Few notable examples include restoration of Elvis Presley’s BMW 507, originally released in 1957, which took two years to complete, Jaguar’s XK120 SE restored in 2017, 2019 restorations of Volkswagens iconic 1962 minivan, Bentley’s 1929 Blowers and Bugatti’s 1926 Bugatti Baby. Not just car manufacturers, but hobbyist collectors also found success in producing spare parts for their classic cars. This paper discusses various types of additive manufacturing technologies used to manufacture classic car parts and the strategic impact after implementing them using the examples of famous restored classic cars. The discussion further includes commercialization of these technologies, challenges, material selection and availability. Additionally, the economic implications and, the future are explored.