First road-ready 3D printed car set for 2015 launch
Rapid prototyping specialist Stratasys has announced a collaboration with KOR EcoLogic to produce the first road-ready, fuel efficient car built using 3D printing.
The KOR EcoLogic team will fully design the URBEE 2 in CAD files, sending them to Stratasys spin off RedEye On Demand for building through Stratasys' Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process.
The technique applies thermoplastics in layers from the bottom up, yielding parts that are durable, precise and repeatable.
The finished two-passenger vehicle will comprise 40 large, intricate 3D printed parts, and be able to achieve speeds of up to 70mph.
The goal is for URBEE 2 to drive from San Francisco to New York City on only 10 gallons of fuel, setting a new world record.
Jim Bartel, vice president of RedEye On Demand, said: "URBEE 2 shows the manufacturing world that anything really is possible. There are few design challenges additive manufacturing capabilities can't solve."
