Body Exterior and Panels

Maximize Vehicle Performance and Distinguish Brand with Faster Testing and Validation

A vehicle’s exterior has multiple functions: its styling conveys the vehicle intent and brand value, while the overall form contributes to efficiency and affects energy consumption.

With our considerable transportation expertise and additive manufacturing solutions, we enable you to optimize exterior form and function using rapid iteration, durable materials and precise control. Maximize the appeal and performance of your vehicles with 3D printing.

Solve your Body Exterior and Panel Challenges

Four different cab-to-cargo air deflector concepts for a commercial trucking test.
Iterate Aerodynamics Faster

Aerodynamic testing is critical to maximizing vehicle efficiency and minimizing drag, but it often requires an incredible investment of time, effort and money. Using our additive manufacturing equipment and materials, you can dramatically accelerate your design validation phase by 3D printing panels directly or by quickly printing cost-effective forming tooling. Faster iterations save you valuable time and resources.

A plastic "shark" grille 3D printed with production-grade quality and a texturized surface finish.
Production-Grade Surface Finish and Quality

Offering a range of surface types can help achieve different design intents and distinguish vehicles on the market. Our direct 3D printing body exterior solution delivers parts with surfaces that support various post-finishing processes, such as sanding, polishing, plating and painting. Validate these parts during testing to further optimize style and performance.

3D printed vacuum mold, 950x750x550 mm (left), thermoformed plastic sheet (center), final trimmed part (right)
Produce Cost-Effective Large Molds, Fast

Exterior body parts and panels used in trucks, busses and trains are large. Conventional mold tools are expensive and take a long time to develop – majorly impacting ROI for low- to mid- range volumes.

Our expert application engineers can help you design and 3D print molds to meet your body exterior needs - whether for the vacuum form process, fiber glass production or urethane casting – quickly and cost-effectively.

The New World of Thermoplastic Manufacturing

Learn how you can leverage 3D Systems’ 3D printing to improve air and fluid handling, even in harsh environments, while bypassing the time and cost of tooling. Gain a competitive advantage by accelerating speed to track with SLS technology.

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Performance Wind Tunnel Testing

Discover the benefits of using additive manufacturing for wind tunnel models, get relevant design for additive tips and discover the critical success factors for using additive manufacturing in wind tunnel applications.

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Evaluating Transparency Measures for SLA Additive Manufacturing

Until recently, truly transparent 3D printing materials were hard to find. Now a suite of transparent plastic print materials is available that is perfect for functional prototypes, lighting and optical light transmission parts, clear housings and enclosures, lenses and more.

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Similar Truck, Bus & Rail Applications

Molds & Patterns for Sand Casting

Industrial Seals and Gaskets

Production fixture that uses a vacuum to hold and install vehicle parts without marking surfaces.

Manufacturing Aids and Production Tooling

Interior & Passenger Comfort

Electrical Harnesses and Conduits

All Truck, Bus and Rail Applications

Material, Printer and Software Solutions for Body Exteriors and Panels

3D Systems SLA Accura Clearview Headlamp

Accura ClearVue (SLA)

High clarity plastic, multitude of applications

Accura Composite PIV

High production speeds with exceptional stiffness/rigidity

Pellet Materials

Variety of pellet materials for 3D printing

a vent made from DuraForm PAx Natural material

DuraForm PAx Natural (SLS)

High impact, high elongation nylon copolymer

SLA 750

Industrial-scale additive manufacturing solution for stereolithography

Atlas-H

High-speed, large-format industrial 3D printer with dual pellet extrusion

SLS 380

Industrial-scale, process controlled additive manufacturing solution for selective laser sintering

3D Sprint

Plastic Additive Manufacturing Software

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Application Innovation Group

Our team can help you solve your most difficult design and production challenges with additive manufacturing solutions. Together we’ll identify your needs, working with you to optimize your designs, prototype, validate and define a manufacturing flow.

Find Out More

Application Brief

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