自2014年以来，葡萄牙的大众汽车汽车工厂一直使用3D打印机来生产用于在装配线上的工具组件。大众汽车宣布，在2016年，该工厂使用FDM台式3D打印机每年节省160,000美元 - 将典型的生产成本降低了90％以上，而在工具开发方面的时间减少了95％。
值得注意的是，3D打印机不是价格标价为100,000美元的工业机器，而是Ultimaker的桌面3D打印机。
This year, Volkswagen expects to increase savings at the factory to200000美元,果阿l of saving quarter of million in costs each year.
Seven 3D printers, one-thousand parts
大众汽车汽车飞行员试点装配线目前由七个3D打印机的银行提供服务，其中包括Ultimaker 3和Ultimaker 2+。在一年中，该工厂拥有4,000名员工，将大约100,000辆汽车转至，包括大众Scirocco和Sharan Ranges中的车辆升级和新车型。
In 2016, the factory 3D printed around 1,000 tooling parts, meaning in the initial investment was recouped within 2 months.
示例工具
One example of a component transformed by 3D printing is the liftgate badge tool. This is a tool used to accurately apply a car’s model name. Ordering the tool through an external supplier would typically cost Volkswagen approximately $445.
3D printing the part instead costs the company just $11. Lead time is also 89% shorter, with outsourcing taking an average of 35 days, and 3D printing just 4.
Furthermore, fragile parts of the 3D printed liftgate badge tool can be easily be replaced on-site. Previously damaged would have been scrapped by the factory.
Elsewhere in automotive
使用3D打印，大众也推出了试点项目，为其汽车生产可销售的备件, and used the technology in parts for a custom GTI model.
注射型公司Techniplas LLC在汽车行业的其他地方宣布由Avi Reichental领导的专业添加剂制造设施，前总裁兼首席执行官3D系统。此外，欧盟已经开始一个270万欧元的项目，旨在生产更环保的3D打印机材料，用于汽车。
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Featured image: A 3D printed jig used to protect wheels when affixing bolts. Photo via Ultimaker
