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120-year-old automobile model Renault (EPA: RNO) has teamed up with the French Different Energies and Atomic Vitality Fee (CEA) to develop a brand new 3D printing materials. This progressive materials is designed to fabricate elements with adaptive mechanical habits and enhanced efficiency. Renault goals to make use of it to make seats, backrests, armrests, and heart consoles, elements that historically require a mixture of a number of supplies.
After two years of analysis and testing, Renault and the CEA ended up with over ten patents and a brand new materials composed of a posh mesh construction. Described as highly effective, lighter, and customizable, the unnamed new materials is made out of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and can be recyclable. The crew used digital strategies and instruments to design a strategically organized construction.
Within the mesh-like construction they’ve created, every particular person strand could be designed and adjusted in three dimensions. This enables them to create advanced, multi-layered networks inside the materials, the place every layer (or stratum) can have its personal particular perform and properties. Primarily, they’ll tailor the construction at a really detailed stage to realize completely different traits and behaviors in several elements of the fabric.
Though the design course of is extra advanced, the ensuing 3D printed elements are monolithic and made out of a single materials, making them simpler to provide. These elements could be created in a single 3D printing operation with out the necessity for meeting, which minimizes the carbon footprint and generates no scrap. This effectivity not solely streamlines manufacturing but in addition contributes to environmental sustainability by lowering waste.
Making use of this progressive materials to automobile seats, for instance, presents thrilling prospects. Renault says the seats can grow to be lighter by about 30% and thinner, but they don’t compromise on consolation, cushioning, or assist. In contrast to conventional supplies like materials, foams, and reinforcements, this single materials could be engineered to supply superior consolation ranges. The customization goes additional, permitting the seat to be tailor-made to the driving force’s physique form, with completely different areas of the seat adjusted to satisfy particular person stress wants, enhancing consolation and assist and making every automobile inside distinctive and customized to the proprietor’s style and magnificence.
Renault’s automobile manufacturing facility in Brazil. Picture courtesy of Renault.
Whereas Renault hasn’t explicitly addressed this chance, the usage of this progressive new materials might initially be extra suited to its high-end fashions, particularly the place customization and superior options are extra widespread, resembling its Alpine model identified for producing high-performance sports activities automobiles, or its electrical automobiles (EVs) just like the Megane E-Tech Electrical and Renault 5 Electrical deliberate for launch which might embody high-end variants or options. The know-how to provide seats which can be 30% lighter and thinner but supply enhanced consolation and customization seems like it will be a premium characteristic. Due to this fact, it’s probably that Renault would first introduce this materials of their luxurious or high-end automobile traces, the place patrons anticipate superior know-how and are prepared to pay for extra consolation and customization. Nevertheless, over time, and because the manufacturing course of turns into extra streamlined and prices lower, this know-how might make its means and be built-in into extra reasonably priced automobile fashions, which is likely one of the largest revenue drivers for the model.
“The virtually complete freedom of design, the financial savings in supplies and weight, the combination of features and the discount in manufacturing instances all imply that additive manufacturing is a sector strongly supported by the CEA. This venture with Renault Group confirms the energy of this self-discipline, which focuses on the event of latest supplies architected by means of design, their characterisation, and their integration into functions” stated François Legalland, CEO of CEA’s Laboratory for Innovation in New Vitality Applied sciences and Nanomaterials (Liten), which focuses on growing new applied sciences associated to power, nanomaterials, and sustainable options.
Renault’s 3D printing heart in Brazil. Picture courtesy of Renault.
Renault shouldn’t be new to additive manufacturing. In reality, for years, the corporate has been utilizing the know-how to create tooling, prototype elements, and spare elements, in addition to inside 3D printed equipment for its just lately revealed 2025 Renault 5 E-Tech Electrical. On the Ayrton Senna industrial advanced in Brazil, the corporate even boasts a 3D printing heart that produces over 10,000 elements a 12 months. These elements are used not solely within the manufacturing course of but in addition to hold out a variety of assessments earlier than the beginning of manufacturing. Now, with the lattice construction developed in collaboration with the CEA, additive manufacturing in Renault’s manufacturing facility might transfer a lot quicker than earlier than, serving to the corporate rework numerous features of the car inside, making them extra interactive and customized.
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