Is a 3D Printed Porsche Part Still Original?
New technology is changing the collector car hobby as evidenced by the advent of 3D printing technology being accepted. Porsche considers a 3D generated part a real part.
Even though Porsche has a stockpile of spare parts for Classic Porsches, they are running out of individual components. Porsche is currently 3D printing nine parts that are impossible to find for such limited productions models as the Porsche 964, 959 and 911 Speedster. Another 20 parts are in test.
One such 3D Printed part is the release lever for a clutch on a Porsche 959. Only 292 of these parts were ever built so they are hard to find. Porsche used 3D printing technology to create the part and pressure tested it with three tons before installing it in a test car and driving it. The part passed its test and is now available for Porsche 356 owners.
Porsche uses a combination of SLM 3D printing for metal parts and SLS 3D printing for plastic parts and tooling.
Using on-demand 3D printing saves on tooling and storage. All the parts are tested to be sure they meet original standards. Porsche finds that 3D printed versions often exceed the original part and are so confident in the technology that they are expanding the service.
The photo above is an example of a 3D printed bodyform full-bucket seat that Porsche is producing for their 911 and 718 race customers in Europe.
One of the proofs of acceptance of 3D printed parts in the collector car world is when Peeble Beach Concours restoration shops start using 3D printed parts for those impossible to find parts.
One of the forerunners in creating 3D printed parts for collector cars was Hahn Vorbach, a high-end restorer in Pennsylvania. In fact it became such a business that partners, Hahn and Vorbach, split the business up and Paul Vohrbach now focuses totally on the 3D Parts printing business for car restoration and customization through his company HV3D Works.
HV3D is the expert in classic car restoration creating parts in metal. Due to the cost of the machining equipment HV3D partners with the companies owning the equipment such as ExOne. HV3D brings the expertise of the automotive restoration and customization market and customer to the process.
Being able to print an obsolete or hard to mind part in metal means there is no compromise to ideas. In fact, the theme for HV3D is: “Making Un-obtainable Obsolete.”
Tags: Porsche Classic Parts, 3D Printed Parts for Classic Porsches
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