Tucci Hot Rods uses 3D printing to create custom car parts for vehicle modification projects. 3D printed parts can be completed within hours, and after some post-processing, will be used as the final part of the custom car.
3D printing allows the shop to triple the speed of part production while reducing production costs by 90%.
Established in 1997, Tucci Hot Rods is a family-led custom car building shop known for its bold modification projects. Dom Tucci, designer at Tucci Hot Rods, focused on using the Ultimaker 2 Extended + to build their Ford Fiesta ST,
which debuted at the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Dom says he printed about 30 or 40 items with the Ultimaker, ranging from rough prototypes to final parts actually used on the vehicle.
He believes
"When you talk about 3D printing, the first thing that comes to mind is that it's just a prototyping tool, but for us, it's a final use process."
Adopting 3D Printing
For Dom, getting started with the Ultimaker was simple. "After unboxing, I put it on my desk, ran a print test, and started printing car parts."
Without 3D printing technology, they would have to outsource parts to external factories for CNC production, which could be a lengthy process, considering the long lead times required for outsourcing.
Now that they have an Ultimaker in-house, they can produce finished products within hours, no longer needing to rely on third-party suppliers' schedules.
Ford Fiesta ST built for the 2016 SEMA Show Different car parts 3D printed on Ultimaker
3D printed dashboard Fiesta's rear taillight sectionDom estimates that with the Ultimaker, they have tripled their production speed and reduced costs tenfold.
While car modification projects usually take 6 months to a year, Tucci Hot Rods was able to complete the Ford Fiesta in just two months.
Future Projects
During the Fiesta project, the Ultimaker became a common tool in the shop, and Dom plans to use it for every modification project in the future.
Tucci Hot Rods demonstrates how 3D printing can change the way custom car building shops manufacture parts.
You can view their business case here, or see our webpage for other applications of 3D printing in the automotive industry.
Article Source:https://ultimaker.com/en/stories/50133-tucci-hot-rods-3d-printing-final-custom-car-parts