3D Systems (Rock Hill, SC) has entered into a three-year contract with luxury automaker BMW (Munich, Germany). The contract for the company's On Demand Manufacturing (ODM) Services includes production of 3D-printed parts that BMW will use for design and functional prototypes.

Using its stereolithography (SLA) and selective laser sintering (SLS) technologies as well as providing finishing services such as painting, dyeing, and tumbling, 3D Systems will produce prototype and functional interior and exterior automobile test parts for BMW, as well as tools and fixtures. These parts will be used during summer and winter rideout testing to verify their designs for proper fit and approach, as well as to understand how the parts function in extreme heat and cold.

3D Systems combines its print technologies with a variety of materials to produce these durable, functional parts. For example, the company uses its DuraForm HST Composite fiberglass-filled plastic to create 3D-printed parts to be used in powertrain and under-the-hood applications. DuraForm HST Composite is a fiber-reinforced engineering plastic with excellent stiffness and high temperature resistance for use in durable prototypes in the automotive industry.

3D Systems has a long-standing relationship with BMW, lending its engineering expertise to help define manufacturing processes and solutions. In addition to fulfilling a large proportion of BMW's need for rapid prototyping via 3D printing technologies, 3D Systems will also be one of the manufacturer's preferred vendors for prototypes via traditional processes such as urethane casting, injection molding, and computer numerical control (CNC).