3D printing is accelerating in the auto industry, shifting from prototyping and tooling to finished parts. Manufacturers of consumer, commercial and military vehicles are producing original and replacement parts with plastic and metal, which means Formula One drivers are not the only ones benefiting from 3D printing.

Faced with years-long new product design timelines, automobile manufacturers were 3D printing’s early adopters more than 30 years ago. Rapid and iterative prototyping promised new designs and components that would cost less and go to market sooner. But slow speeds, weak software tools, limited materials, and poor print quality hobbled the industry for two decades.

Nevertheless, innovative suppliers and users pushed the technology to do more. GM has used 3D printing (3DP) since 1989 and now has more than 700 employees trained in 3D printing. The company has 3D printers in production facilities worldwide, including 17 new Stratasys FDM printers in 2019. Aaron Pearson, Stratasys vice president, reports 75% of the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette prototype was 3D printed, while GM shifts to more production-related applications.