TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH and 3D Systems Establish Partnership to Drive Innovation in Automotive

3D Systems and TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH (TMG), a wholly owned subsidiary of TOYOTA Motor Corporation, announce they have entered a partnership to change automotive engineering. Through this partnership, the companies intend to develop manufacturing solutions, including 3D printers, materials and software—to change automotive design and production.

"TMG has chosen 3D Systems for this partnership because they share our pioneering spirit—exhibited by the fact that they introduced the world to 3D printing. We see the unparalleled potential of combining 3D Systems’ expertise and know-how with that of TMG to create technologies and define new additive manufacturing innovations in the automotive industry,” says Andreas Schambach, project general manager future production technology, TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH. 

3D Systems and TOYOTA Motorsport set up an automotive-focused partnership. Image courtesy of 3D Systems/TOYOTA Motorsport.

Through this collaboration, TMG and 3D Systems will demonstrate how their additive manufacturing solutions drive success in motorsport .

“TMG’s facility will become a showcase for world-class advanced digital manufacturing,” says Schambach. “Our team of experts will complement that of 3D Systems’, to develop advanced laser sintering technologies, and a portfolio of materials with improved properties to meet the rigorous demands of motorsport. We intend to use these new technologies to more quickly and efficiently create light-weight, high-quality production parts for our motorsport projects, leading to competitive advantage.” 

As part of this partnership, TMG named 3D Systems “Additive Manufacturing Machine Provider of Choice.” 3D Systems has demonstrated its experience and expertise in the automotive industry where its solutions are deployed globally for track cars and road cars, the companies report. TMG plans to incorporate 3D Systems’ Figure 4 Standalone, ProX 800, sPro 60, sPro 230, and Geomagic Design X software into its manufacturing workflow.

“Bringing together our collective expertise, curiosity, and desire to bring solutions to new applications challenges will yield first-to-market technologies that have the power to redefine an industry," says Herbert Koeck, EVP, global go to market, 3D Systems. "I look forward to the innovation we’ll bring to fruition over the course of this partnership.”

TMG and 3D Systems will first appear together at the FIA World Endurance Championship, August 30-September 1 at Silverstone (UK). 3D Systems’ logo will be on the two TOYOTA GAZOO Racing cars—#7 driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López and #8 driven by Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley. Buemi and Nakajima won the drivers’ World Endurance Championship last season, as well as the 2018 and 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.