Volkswagen Group is expanding its 'additive manufacturing' with a second MetalFAB 3d-printing system from Additive Industries. The car manufacturer opened a 3d-print centre in 2018 to develop complex car parts using various 3d metal printing technologies. Eindhoven-based metal printing company Additive Industries is a key partner.
At the 3d printing centre, Additive Industries' MetalFAB system plays an important role in additive manufacturing. That is the process of making objects from 3d model data. These are built up layer by layer and then 3d-printed. For Volkswagen, the MetalFAB system produced metal parts.
Volkswagen chose the MetalFAB system because of its high level of automation, elimination of manual processes and increase in safety. Due to the modularity of the system, Volkswagen can now expand production capacity with a second 3d-printing line without major investments.
Volkswagen Group, headquartered in Wolfsburg, is known as Europe's largest car manufacturer and manages 12 leading brands, including Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini.