Volvo Construction Equipment marks its debuts in the 3D printing industry. This is not really a big surprise since construction is increasingly exploiting techniques that will improve their production.
Just this morning, we were talking about the inauguration of the first 3D printed house in Nantes. As far as Volvo CE is concerned, the company implements a R&D unit that will work on its prototype machinery.
According to Jasenko Lagumdzija, Manager of Business Support at Volvo CE, this idea will benefit to older machines where the parts that have worn out are no longer made efficiently in traditional production methods.
The manufacturing
Using its 3D printing solution, the company said it could manufacture parts of a cabin, plastic coverings, and sections of air conditioning units. Older drawings, 3D models and product information will be sent to the 3D printer for the production of new parts.
“The customer is getting exactly the same part in replacing plastic with plastic,” says Annika Fries, Aftermarket Branding Manager at Volvo CE. “We do a lot of quality assurance – the 3D parts have the same specifications and go through the same process as the original, and get the same warranty, so customers can be confident they are getting a genuine Volvo approved part.”
We are talking about a production time of 7 days at Volvo CE. Therefore, it is possible to supply new parts to replace those that have gone out of normal production may also extend the lifetime of the machine as a whole. Parts made of metals through additive manufacturing may also be offered in future.
For Daniel Kalfholm, Project Leader for Aftermarket Purchasing for Volvo CE’s EMEA region, these parts can all be carried out at a “purchase price that is comparable to that of a traditionally manufactured component.”
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