Case Study: Local Motors achieves 50% tooling cost reduction and 90% production time reduction with MakerBot

Local Motors 3d Prints their Self Driving Shuttle with Makerbot

Local Motors, a disruptive tech and automotive company that designs and builds vehicles including the Olli self‑driving shuttle, needed faster, on‑demand prototyping and low‑volume production to support its localized micro‑factories and tight development timelines. To avoid long external lead times and keep part production in‑house, Local Motors adopted MakerBot solutions, using the MakerBot Replicator+ desktop 3D printer (along with MakerBot Print) to support both prototyping and production needs.

MakerBot delivered a turnkey 3D printing workflow—Replicator+ hardware, MakerBot Print software, and MakerBot Tough Filament—that let Local Motors print durable, threadable parts in hours. The result: tooling costs were cut by 50% and overall production time fell by about 90%, enabling faster iteration, reduced lead times, and higher ROI while keeping critical manufacturing in‑house. MakerBot’s tools now play an integral role in Local Motors’ rapid development process.

Local Motors

Alex Fiechter

Director of Product Development