Porsche unveils new electric drive housing from 3D printing and additive manufacturing
Alvin Reyes - Dec 29, 2020, 5:29am CST
Porsche has unveiled its first-ever electric drive housing created entirely using 3D printing and additive manufacturing technology. According to the German carmaker, 3D printing and its latest additive laser fusion process are opening new possibilities in creating high-stress components for low-volume series production.
“This proves that additive manufacturing with all its advantages is also suitable for larger and highly-stressed components in electric sports cars,” says Falk Heilfort, Project Manager in the Powertrain Advance Development department at Porsche Development Centre in Weissach.
Porsche’s 3D-printed drive housing is 10-percent lighter than a similar part created using traditional casting techniques. It benefits from unique lattice structuring in high-stress areas that only became possible due to 3D printing, added P
Porsche produces prototype complete housing for an electric drive using 3D printing
Porsche has produced its first complete housing for an electric drive using 3D printing. The engine-gearbox unit produced using the additive laser fusion process passed all the quality and stress tests without any problems.
This proves that additive manufacturing with all its advantages is also suitable for larger and highly-stressed components in electric sports cars. Falk Heilfort, Project Manager in the Powertrain Advance Development department at the Porsche Development Center in Weissach
The optimized electric drive potentially could be used in a limited-edition super sports car.
Engineers in the Advanced Development department were able to carry out several development steps at once with the prototype. The additively manufactured alloy housing is more lightweight than a conventionally cast part, and reduces the overall weight of the drive by approximately 10%.
Porsche has built its first ever complete housing for an electric drive unit (engine and gearbox) using 3D printing. The unit even passed quality and stress tests without any issues, proving that this technology is viable for consumer products.
The prototype unit’s additively-manufactured alloy housing is more lightweight than a conventionally cast part, reducing the overall weight of the drive by roughly ten percent.
Meanwhile, stiffness in highly stressed areas has nevertheless been doubled, thanks to special structures made possible by 3D printing.
“This proves that additive manufacturing with all its advantages is also suitable for larger and highly-stressed components in electric sports cars,” said Falk Heilfort, Project Manager in the Powertrain Advance Development department at the Porsche Development Centre in Weissach.