Toyota Unveils Excessive-Efficiency SUV Idea With 3D-Printed Elements

Toyota has unveiled a high-performance SUV idea that includes 3D-printed elements, marking a shift in manufacturing practices.

This idea, based mostly on the Toyota Fortuner and developed by Toyota Customizing & Development (TCD) Asia’s motorsport division, incorporates progressive supplies comparable to 3D-printed components and Tafnex, a unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene resin sheet.

Supplies and Design

The SUV’s entrance bumper and hood vents are adorned with Tafnex, whereas direct pellet-fed 3D-printed components improve the hood air duct bezels. These supplies, developed in collaboration with Japanese companies Mitsui Chemical substances and ARRK Company, scale back the automobile’s weight and enhance efficiency. The Hyper-F Idea SUV additionally options 4 sport seats, providing a singular consumer expertise in comparison with conventional two-seater fashions.

3D Printing

TCD Asia leveraged superior 3D printing applied sciences from Mitsui Chemical substances and its companions, together with the high-speed EXF-12 3D printer from ExtraBold Inc.

This direct pellet-fed 3D printing technique makes use of plastic pellets to type buildings, offering advantages over conventional 3D printing by growing plastic discharge stability and enabling the fast creation of enormous components.

This moldless approach reduces growth lead occasions and preliminary funding prices, best for high-mix, low-volume manufacturing. Moreover, it helps sustainable manufacturing by permitting 3D-printed gadgets to be recycled into pellets for future use.

Tafnex Materials

Tafnex, created by Mitsui Chemical substances, is a light-weight, inflexible, and moldable tape with customizable options, appropriate for numerous functions together with cars and drones. It could possibly reinforce injected or pressed molded components and be processed into tubes or laminated sheets. Its non-water absorbing properties preserve excessive bending power underwater and in high-temperature environments.

These superior supplies and the Hyper-F Idea SUV will likely be showcased on the Bangsaen Grand Prix 2024 and the Bangkok Auto Salon 2024, highlighting their potential in automotive design and manufacturing.

Filed in Transportation. Learn extra about 3D Printing and Toyota.