Michigan shop is binder-jetting first part for a GM production vehicle

Azoth 3D is additively manufacturing the first metal part produced on a binder-jet printer to be installed on a General Motors production vehicle. The 3D-printed medallion will affix to the manual shifter knob of the new 2022 Cadillac Blackwing model.

The 668-hp V8 is available with a six-speed manual transmission or an optional 10-speed automatic.

In a press release issued late last year, GM said that by leveraging additive manufacturing, it was able to reduce costs and waste when developing the manual transmission and other Blackwing components.

Cody Cochran, general manager and co-founder of Azoth, Ann Arbor, Mich., said, “Binder jetting enables quantities at the speeds and quality levels demanded by automotive production. … We can print the prototype of a part every five or six days, while other processes and technology can take three to six months building molds, retooling, and going through multiple suppliers.

“I believe this is a breakthrough application for the 3D printing industry and a major win for metal binder jetting, proving this is a production-ready process,” Cochran said.