World’s first 3-D-printed car to be live printed, assembled during IMTS

History will be made when the world’s first 3-D-printed car drives out of McCormick Place in Chicago on Sept. 13. The vehicle will be printed over 44 hours during the six-day IMTS—The International Manufacturing Technology Show 2014 and then rapidly assembled by a team led by Local Motors.

Called the Strati, the vehicle will be 3-D printed in one piece using direct digital manufacturing (DDM). Mechanical components, such as battery, motor, wiring, and suspension, will be sourced from a variety of suppliers.

The vehicle uses the material science and advanced manufacturing techniques pioneered at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

“The Strati will be showcased in AMT’s Emerging Technology Center. The ETC was created to present manufacturing technologies of the future from leading companies, universities, and government research labs,” noted Peter Eelman, vice president—exhibitions and communications, AMT—The Association For Manufacturing Technology.

“The BAAM (Big Area Additive Manufacturing) machine from Cincinnati Incorporated can be used for actual production. The deposition rate of 40 lbs./hr. of carbon-reinforced ABS plastic and the large size mean that large parts, like a car, can be produced using additive technology,” said Andrew Jamison, CEO of Cincinnati Incorporated.

Local Motors plans to launch production-level 3-D-printed vehicles that will be available to the general public for purchase in the months following the show.