3D-Printed Spare Parts for the Automotive Sector

Drawing on the passion for the automotive sector that has always distinguished 3DRap’s work and the expertise of its team members, the prototyping laboratory in Irpinia created a component for an icon of Italian motoring: a rearview mirror mount for the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint 1600 GT/GTC/GTA/, commissioned by an experienced restorer and classic car collector.

After producing car spare parts for two classic Fiat models, the 1980 127 Sport and the 1982 Panda 30, for which they made a dashboard fascia in PLA and polycarbonate and the FIAT logo in ABS, the young engineers at 3DRap have once again found a solution to a fracture in the curved section of a part, thanks to a careful reverse-engineering process made possible by 3D printing.

“The first step was to reconstruct the object in 3D, following the contours of the original,” explained mechanical engineer Antonio de Stefano. “We then studied the thermomechanical stresses it will be subjected to and carried out a structural analysis of the model, revising the critical sections. Finally, we made the prototype using a techno-biopolymer and heat-treated the object to improve its mechanical performance.” The heat treatment, carried out only after assessing the characteristic temperatures of the chosen material, allows the component to relax, reducing internal stresses caused by the material fusion process and improving adhesion between the various layers.

The part underwent tensile testing for thermoplastic materials both before and after heat treatment, with excellent results.

These results show that 3D printing is an excellent solution for spare parts that are no longer available on the market. They also enable the 3DRap team to continue collaborating with industry experts and finding solutions for classic car enthusiasts and collectors, thanks to the ongoing design and research work making great strides at the laboratory in Irpinia.