Case Study: Ford achieves faster, more cost-effective manufacturing with UltiMaker 3D printing

Reinventing efficient manufacturing using 3D printing

Ford, a leading automotive manufacturer, faced significant challenges in producing custom tools and fixtures for vehicle assembly. The external creation of these single-use tools was both prohibitively expensive and time-consuming, slowing down their production process. To address this, Ford partnered with UltiMaker to explore a more efficient alternative using 3D printing technology.

UltiMaker provided a solution using their FFF 3D printers, including the Ultimaker S5, and software like Ultimaker Cura. This enabled Ford to establish a dedicated additive manufacturing workflow, allowing for the local, in-house production of tools. The results were substantial cost and time savings per tool, increased production line uptime, and improved tool ergonomics for the workforce. The implementation was so successful that Ford expanded the use of UltiMaker printers to multiple factories across Europe.

Ford

Lars Bognar

Research Engineer