World’s first 3D-printed car showcased at PLASTEC East

The world’s first 3D-printed electric car rolls onto the PLASTEC East show floor this month. The Strati, developed by Local Motors (Chandler, AZ), took just 44 hours of additive manufacturing and 10 hours of subtractive milling to produce. Vehicle assembly required fewer than 50 parts.

PLASTEC East attendees will have an opportunity to see the car up close from June 13 to 15 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. PLASTEC East is co-located with five other events serving the advanced manufacturing sector: MD&M East, EastPack, Design & Manufacturing, ATX and Quality Expo.

When the Strati first debuted in 2015, Clare Goldsberry described the proprietary manufacturing process in PlasticsToday:

“The first phase is additive. Made from ABS plastic reinforced with carbon fiber, the current model of the Strati takes approximately 44 hours to print 212 layers. The end result is a completed 3D-printed car structure.

The second phase is subtractive. Once 3D printing is complete, the 3D-printed car structure moves to a Thermwood CNC router that mills the finer details. After a few hours of milling, the Strati's exterior details take shape.

The final phase of 3D-printed manufacturing is rapid assembly. After the 3D-printed car structure is printed and refined, the non-3D-printed components, including the drivetrain, electrical components, gauges and wiring, plus the tires are added. A vinyl wrapping, paint or other surface treatment is used to complement the 3D-printed texture, resulting in a showroom-ready vehicle.”