Audi Sport GmbH Streamlines Production with Fixturemate and UltiMaker Supported 3D Printing

[source: Trinckle]

UltiMaker’s fixturemate software has been a game-changer for many companies, including Audi Sport. By integrating fixturemate with UltiMaker’sadvanced 3D printing technology, Audi Sport has significantly improved the efficiency of their production lines, reducing part costs by 80% and design costs by 92%.

For an in-depth look, check out the use case and see the related use case on UltiMaker.com.

Cem Guelayla from Audi Sport shares that the primary benefit of using fixturemate is its user-friendly interface and rapid production capabilities.

“The main benefit of using fixturemate is it’s very easy to use, it’s very quick to produce fixtures for our factory” he says.

Since 2019, Audi Sport has relied on fixturemate to produce nearly 200 fixtures and tools for their Audi e-tron GT full electric car. This efficiency is crucial in the automotive industry, where minimizing downtime and maintaining production schedules are vital to meet market demands and ensure timely delivery of vehicles.

Design, 3D print, and deploy fixtures in the same week

The traditional CAD design process can be time-consuming, often taking several hours to create a single fixture. In contrast, fixturemate allows Audi Sport to design and produce fixtures in just minutes.

Guelayla notes, “With fixturemate, we can produce fixtures in 10, 15, or 20 minutes.”

This rapid turnaround is possible because fixturemate simplifies the workflow: Users input the part, create the base plate, select the necessary supports, subtract the piece from the fixture, and add labels or clamps as needed.

fixturemate’s seamless integration with the UltiMaker 3D printing ecosystem

Once the design is complete, it is exported to Cura, UltiMaker’s slicing software. Here, the layer thickness and infill parameters are set, and the part is ready for printing. This seamless integration ensures that the transition from design to production is smooth and efficient. Audi Sport typically uses materials like Tough PLA for its cost-effectiveness and ease of use, TPU for protecting car parts, and occasionally ESD-safe materials, ABS, or PETG for specific applications.

Meeting high demands with rapid production

The collaboration between trinckle, Audi Sport, and UltiMaker has proven to be highly effective in meeting the high demands of the automotive industry. The ability to quickly produce a large number of fixtures has allowed Audi Sport to focus on more complex challenges, knowing they have reliable tools ready when needed.

“fixturemate helps us a lot in times we need a lot of fixtures in a short time,” Guelayla emphasizes.

At trinckle, we are excited to see how our solutions like fixturemate continue to drive innovation and efficiency in manufacturing processes. The success at Audi Sport is a testament to the power of combining design automation software with 3D printing technology.