Honda Access Co. Ltd. (Honda Automotive Co., Ltd.) is a subsidiary of the Honda Group, headquartered in Tokyo, manufacturing accessories for the world's automobiles, motorcycles and other products. One of its features is to customize the configuration based on the preferences of local buyers. Now, with the help of 3D printing technology, it is better developed in terms of customization. Stratasys Objet Eden500V prints prototypes of wheels in several parts Re-Assembly Test Accessories play an important role in globally differentiated sales; therefore, the available accessories for any particular Honda model range from two to three hundred. Hiroshi Takemori, Senior Researcher of Product Planning Department, said: “We must consider a range of factors when designing accessories, such as the preferences of local car owners and the local climate and road conditions, and provide accessories of corresponding specifications according to the needs of different countries and regions.†Hiroshi Takemori, Senior Designer, Product Planning Department “The Honda CR-V is taken as an example. In the United States, the model’s target customers are parents who pick up and drop off children, while in China, it is positioned as a top SUV (sports utility vehicle), which is a symbol of status. The appearance is made according to the global unified standard, we just take care of the accessories and add some geographical features to the car." â—From CNC machine tools to 3D printers Honda Access wants to open up a new path to make all custom services more efficient. The company used CNC machine tools for testing and testing during the product development cycle, but the process required a lot of manpower and costs. In 2006, Honda Group introduced 3D printing as a pilot project to Honda Access. Designers are invited to explore the possibilities of technology for automotive parts and auto parts. Takemori recalled: "At the time of the meeting, many questions were raised about the feasibility of 3D printing technology and whether it could turn ideas into reality in a very short time." He cited prototype production and matching. And the main advantages of functional testing and operation in unsupervised state. "We recognize that 3D printing will bring great advantages to product development." Later, Honda Access purchased an Objet Eden500V 3D printer, focusing on its print accuracy, speed, build size, ease of removal of support materials, and ability to create detailed details – these are the company's product verification processes. The key considerations. â—Provide cost-effective customized products Honda Access thus began to experiment with the convenience of 3D printers. The new 3D printer enhances the company's customized services. Takemori said: "The application of 3D printers has synchronized the development cycle of cars with the production of accessories, greatly improving the quality and speed of prototype processing." "3D printing technology has become an integral part of our business." Fog lights decoration CG diagram The overall design process has also been improved. Previously, Honda Access used CNC machine tools to make prototype prototypes (in-house production or outsourced production). It was necessary for operators to supervise the whole process of the machine tool with great noise to ensure production safety. Outsourcing projects are often delayed due to inefficient communication with OEMs, which may cause products to fail to be listed on schedule. Objet Eden 500V Printed 3D Model Fog lamp decoration finished product Fog Light Decoration and High-beam Assembly Effect Picture on an Actual Vehicle The application of 3D printing technology has solved these problems. Designers can now check the 3D form in real-time at design time and make design changes quickly, resulting in a significant improvement in design quality. The large size of the Objet Eden500V 3D printer allows designers to print large parts such as wheels up to 14 inches in diameter. Honda Access uses mostly rigid, opaque VeroTM materials, and in the post-processing process, the printed parts are sprayed with a transparent layer, making the texture very similar to the finished product. â— Customer first Another great benefit of working with Stratasys is quality customer service. It took three to four days before dispatching service technicians, sometimes delaying the product development cycle. Today, Stratasys engineers visit Honda Access once a week for approximately 30 minutes of routine inspections. Ryuichi Kanenobu, a product planning researcher, said: “We have been using the Stratasys 3D printer for two years and have experienced almost no problems. It is extremely reliable and easy to maintain.†(Editor)