Multiple exterior front body bus designs showing different functionality and brand identities.

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.

    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.

    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.

  • An additive manufactured mold used to vacuum form mid-volumes of a train bumper cover printed in Titan Atlas 3.6 with PC-GF10 pellets material

    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.

Similar Truck, Bus & Rail Applications

Molds & Patterns for Sand Casting thumbnail

Molds & Patterns for Sand Casting
Truck Bus and Rail Industrial Seals and Gaskets part

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 thumbnail

Interior & Passenger Comfort
Truck Bus and Rail Electrical Harnesses and Conduits

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 thumbnail

Accura Composite PIV

High production speeds with exceptional stiffness/rigidity

plastic black pellets

EXT Titan Pellet Materials

Broad selection of commercial, flexible, engineering grade and high-performance polymers for 3D printing

a vent made from DuraForm PAx Natural material

DuraForm PAx Natural (SLS)

High impact, high elongation nylon copolymer

SLA 750 3D Printer

SLA 750

Industrial-scale additive manufacturing solution for stereolithography

SLS 380 3D printer

SLS 380

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

Talk to an Expert

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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