Ford sports cars may soon showcase more 3D printed parts with Stratasys Infinite Build printer.

Massive tests are currently taking place at Ford factories to level up the use of automotive 3D printing. The car company says the Stratasys Infinite Builder appears to be capable of manufacturing the majority of low-volume, one-piece car parts. Read on for more details.

Ford checks on Stratasys Infinite Build 3D printer

According to Forbes, Ford is trying out the Stratasys Infinite Build 3D printer to assess its viability for future production cars. The Infinite Build basically works like other 3D printers but on a larger scale. Moreover, the designs are uploaded from a computer design app to the machine.

Consequently, the Stratasys Infinite Builder prints out one layer at a time. Ford reportedly plans to use it to build vehicle parts out of plastic fed into the machine from canisters. If these canisters are empty, a robot arm replaces it with a full one.

For the record, a previous Ford race car fortified with 3D-printed components already won the 2015 Rolex 24 held at Daytona. However, Local Motors has bigger efforts like a 3D printed entire body for the Strati eco car. Do note that the Strati is just a small vehicle with a simple design.

Stratasys Infinite Build 3D printer: Ford verdict

Unfortunately, Ford thinks that the Stratasys Infinite Build is not yet capable of producing huge car parts in large volumes. Nevertheless, it believes that the Infinite Build could be less costly for small-volume components. As of now, the tests are concentrated on special models and race cars.

According to Tech World, Ford is also looking at the potential of creating prototype parts with personalized items. With the help of Stratasys Infinite Build 3D printer, making spoilers and manifolds would be much quicker and cheaper. The Infinite Build partnership could be a breakthrough for the car-making industry. Ford is said to be the first company to test it out.