Porsche is using 3D printing to create EV drivetrain components that are lighter, stronger, and easier to work with. There are special shapes they’re able to make with 3D printing that make it double the strength cast parts would have been, meaning it’s both stronger and lighter. For mass market cars, it will also benefit the company with the ability to use 3D printing in the development and testing phase, allowing for more rapid development and better overall end products that eventually roll off the assembly lines. A technology like high quality metal 3D printing allows the divisions of big companies to be a little more agile, despite the company’s size. Being able to experiment with new things and take little risks isn’t as big a deal when the company has to only risk that a 3D print might not turn out. For small companies and even unpaid teams of volunteers on the internet, 3D printing has been a game changer. Being able to do the protoyping work that can happen with 3D printing and get designs to the testing phase without huge expenses, the little guys can do things that only larger companies with ample funding were once able to do.

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