When the new Audi E-Tron GT was launched, Audi Sport's Bôllinger Höfe factory in Heilbronn, Germany, quickly needed nearly 200 new tools, jigs, and fixtures for production. Designing these tools takes a lot of time. Outsourcing production can sometimes take weeks to months. This is where design automation and 3D printing provide Audi Sport with an unparalleled workflow.
The Audi Sport Böllinger Höfe factory is a high-end car production plant. Its main production is the high-performance Audi R8 and the all-electric Audi E-Tron GT. These cars are top products of this famous German car manufacturer. The assembly line is filled with German efficiency. Bare car bodies are mounted on robotic platforms and installed on overhead tracks. This train of specialized vehicles then passes through many stations where parts specified in the order are installed. It is difficult to find two identical cars side by side, which makes the entire operation even more impressive.
Each station has a limited time to assemble parts and install them on the car. Therefore, an optimized and efficient workflow is crucial for mechanics. Customized tools, jigs, and fixtures play a huge role in making mechanics' work faster, easier, and more ergonomic.
"We have produced nearly 800 tools and jigs for the factory here," says Cem Guelaylar, Audi Sport's 3D printing expert. "Outsourcing takes more than two, three, four weeks, or months. It depends on the supplier and the process of submitting orders to the supplier. 3D printing helps us get these tools in a very short time. Workers come to us and say, I need a jig to assemble the car."
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Different Tools for Different Applications
There are custom tools to help align parts during installation. For example, when installing the roof or exterior badges. This not only improves the consistency and quality of the final car but also saves installation time per car. Quality control tools ensure that all cars meet Audi's highest standards. These custom jigs are mounted on car components and used to measure alignment and tolerances. For example, Audi Sport created a custom jig to focus the Head-Up Display (HUD) on the car's dashboard. This jig uses two laser beams projected onto the installed HUD. When the lasers are aligned, it indicates that the reflective glass is installed correctly.
Many parts need to be assembled before being installed in the car. Installing tubes on the central fluid plate, cables and heat sinks on the central control unit, and so on, are just a few examples. If these components are simply placed on a workbench, the work becomes very difficult. This is why Audi Sport uses many jigs in its factory. These jigs hold parts in place for quick assembly. These jigs not only save time but also have a significant impact on production consistency. Many jigs are also designed to have a positive impact on worker ergonomics. For example, holding tools in a better working orientation.
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Designing Parts in Minutes, Not Hours
So, when the new E-Tron GT was launched, manufacturing nearly 200 different tools, jigs, and fixtures became a huge challenge. And they needed to do it quickly to start production. Designing these tools requires a lot of time and expertise. They must be precise, easy to use, and easy to produce. This is where trinckle's fixturemate plays an important role. Fixturemate is software specifically designed to create assembly jigs. A part is imported and set at the correct angle. Then the jig is created by adding a base plate, where the part needs to be supported, and holes for mounting it to the workbench. In addition, there is a ready-made library of tools, such as clamps. The software is very user-friendly, anyone can use it. Designing tools in traditional CAD software can take hours, while in fixturemate it only takes 10-20 minutes.
"We started producing the all-electric Audi E Tron GT here. This new car required nearly 200 jigs and tools. Fixturemate helped us provide a large number of jigs in a short time," Guelaylar said. "We put the parts into Fixturemate, and within minutes we can take the jig out of the software. Usually, in traditional structures, it takes two, three, or four hours, depending on the size of the part. Fixturemate is very easy to use."
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Benefits of 3D Printing for the Audi Team
The Audi team not only needs to design parts quickly but also produce them in a short time. Outsourcing tool production is expensive and can take weeks to months. Therefore, Audi started to set up a 3D printing room. With multiple printers like the Ultimaker S5, the Audi team can meet their tool production needs. Now, tools can be printed in a day at a very low cost. No need for inquiries, introductions to suppliers, or waiting for parts to be produced and delivered. When parts do not meet requirements, they can be directly improved and reprinted.
The Right Material for the Job
Most jigs are printed using Tough PLA. This material has similar bending and strength properties to ABS, but is very easy to print without the difficulties of ABS. There are also tools printed with TPU95a to protect car parts. This soft material is ideal for preventing damage to parts.
With the UltiMaker ecosystem, the Audi team can also use hundreds of third-party materials. These materials often have very specific properties. One material Audi Sport uses is ESD-safe PLA for jigs handling electronic components. Preparing for 3D printing with these materials using Ultimaker Cura is effortless, as print profiles are freely available in the marketplace.
"We use Tough PLA because it's inexpensive and easy to use. We mainly use TPU to protect car parts. We also use ESD-safe materials, and sometimes ABS or PETG. For us, 3D printing is a very fast and helpful thing for our factory and our workers," Guelayler continued.
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