116 Three years ago, Brose produced a 3D-printed seat rail made of steel for the first time. Using the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process, a laser source melts the product together layer by layer from steel powder. The resulting sample has exactly the same properties as a rail produced by the conventional punch-bend process. Both components also behave identically in the load test. System-compatible materials For materials in additive manufacturing, integration into the conventional automotive environment is essential. Brose therefore only uses materials that meet industry standards and are IATF certified. For this purpose, experts from the automotive supplier analyzed commonly used metals in advance in an elaborate process. From more than 700 material variants, they were able to identify two steel and two aluminum alloys that are suitable for 3D-printing. Brose is a pioneer with this expertise. In 2022, the company added various polymers to its materials portfolio. The Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) process can be Products and Markets Production-ready vehicle parts from the 3D-printer By Luisa Eckert, Communications & Marketing, Brose Group Steel can be welded, coated – and printed. What sounds like fiction is no longer fantasy. The automotive supplier Brose can additively manufacture components from steel, aluminum, copper and various plastics with or without fiber reinforcement. The components display the same properties and behavior as products from conventional production processes. As a result, 3D-printing is taking on a key role in the company's product development and is also becoming increasingly important in the production of small series. Images: © Brose
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