Audi 3D-Printed this Half-Scale 1936 Grand Prix Racer

Car enthusiasts of the world have a lot to get excited about when it comes to 3D printing. A recent project by German car manufacturer Audi saw them 3D print a half-scale 1936 Grand Prix racing car.

Road and Track reports:

This half-scale 1936 Grand Prix Auto Union Type C sports car isn’t some cute kid’s toy that you can get out of the Neiman Marcus catalog. It’s actually something that Audi made using 3D printing, which kind of makes this even more awesome.

 

To print the car, Audi used a laser to melt layers of metallic powder with a grain size “roughly half the diameter of a human hair.” So far, Audi can 3D-print components made from aluminum and steel—shapes and objects up to 240 millimeters long and 200 millimeters high. These objects are extremely strong because they are more dense than similar components made from die casting or hot forming.

 

The end goal is to get these 3D printers involved in series production. This kind of technology could ultimately bring the cost of production down while yielding stronger components.

Photo credit: Audi.

 

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