Materialise : Reducing Costs on Production Lines with Additive Manufacturing

Costs halved for humble jig at Volvo (plus added benefits)

Take Volvo Car Gent for example. Half of Volvo's annual car production takes place in this factory, with around 57 cars coming off the line each hour. Speed is key, but so is precision. This is even more challenging given three different ranges - and different models within each range - are manufactured at the same production line.

Each car needs specific branding with the logo, model number, and other marks. This can be tricky, with the badge needing to be placed in a specific location quickly and without damaging the paintwork. Previously, this had been done with a variety of cumbersome gluing jigs - unfortunate combinations of heavy, delicate, and expensive. Plus, it took six weeks for a new one to arrive if one broke.

This kind of troublesome production line tool often makes the best candidate to show what AM could offer. The key thought when looking at the jig for AM: just as end-products don't need to be fully 3D printed, nor do all parts of a manufacturing tool, especially if a combination reduces cost.