Advances in additive manufacturing technologies and automotive lighting have changed the ways in which various products are developed, designed, and then manufactured prior to distribution. This goes beyond the classical automotive lighting prototyping of 3D printing. Multiple industries are currently unaware of the pros that additive manufacturing can offer to their market.
For the automotive lighting sector, 3D printing has significantly opened doors towards the creation of revolutionary designs, thereby making products safer and lighter. Apart from that, products have become more affordable. There are two ways in which 3D rapid prototyping in the manufacturing sector can be a distinctive element in the market:
1. Innovation for automotive lights
Additive manufacturing produces different rapid plastic prototypes with relatively fewer design complexities, which limit the traditional processes of manufacturing products. The flexibility in innovating automotive lighting is useful when allowing the manufacturing of lights with personalized characteristics.
It is, therefore, impossible to incorporate improved functionalities like integrated electrical wiring, less weight, coupled with complex geometries that aren’t possible through the traditional processes.
2. Transforming the supply chain
By eliminating the demand for new tooling as well as the ability to produce the final pieces, additive manufacturing cuts down the total time spent in production. This improves the market’s response capacity.
Other than that, because the 3D printing sector generally applies the material necessary to produce lighting, it can reduce waste and the application of raw materials.
Printing lighter materials can reduce the total handling costs. Production demand, on the other side, has a way of reducing inventory costs.
Automotive lighting systems are the eyes of the car. Therefore, the appearance of the automobile headlight has a high demand for transparent parts and electroplated parts.
This implies that it is true to say that the most essential parts of the automobile appearance are lights while needing extremely crafted designs.
That said, there are various configurations of the lighting system. The major parts making up the headlights of the car are:
- Right lenses
- Left lenses
- Right lamp shells
- Left lamp shells
- Right reflectors
- Left reflectors
- Right decorative frames
- Left decorative frames
Over the past three years, more vehicles have started to provide ambient interior lighting as a standard feature.
Ambient lighting refers to the soft illumination in a car’s center console, door handles, as well as pulls. It is seen as a cosmetic feature, serving basic to no inherent vehicle’s safety function.
According to a study conducted by the prestigious BMW, the lighting can increase your perceived safety, coupled with the car’s quality.
Interior ambient lighting also has a way of increasing the spatial perception that gives the vehicle’s interior a bigger look. These lights can decrease fatigue when you are driving a light that is equipped at night.
The same study had inconclusive evidence based on the ambient lighting’s impact on a person’s alertness.
Final Thoughts
A car’s lighting system has lighting and signaling devices. They are mounted on the front and sides of the motor vehicle. These lights light the roadway for you while increasing visibility. They also allow other drivers on the road to see the presence of the vehicle, position, and size.
