Daimler has announced it will use 3D printing to help localise production of spare parts for its trucks.
Reuters reports that the world’s biggest truck maker and parent company of Mercedes Benz will begin the initiative in September, for parts “including spring caps, air and cable ducts, clamps, mountings and control elements.”
It has experimented on over 100,000 3D printed prototype parts so far, notes the article.
3Ders notes that in 2012 Daimler had Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology and manufacturer Concept Laser develop a large-format fiber laser machine to fuse metal powders.
This was used to replace sand-casting and die-casting in early stage development of parts.
The spare parts produced from September will be made of unspecified plastic.