The SOLIDWORKS User Group Catalunya continues opening the doors of the classroom.

As part of the Computer-Aided Design and Analysis course within the Master’s Degree in Automotive Engineering, we are launching a new three-part expert series focused on Additive Manufacturing for Automotive Engineering.

For this first session, we are delighted to welcome Ricardo Vazquez, Senior Applications Engineer at Shift 3D, who will introduce the technologies, materials and industrial applications that are transforming the way automotive products are designed, developed and manufactured.

Additive Manufacturing for Automotive Product Development

Additive Manufacturing has evolved far beyond rapid prototyping.

Today, technologies such as Multi Jet Fusion, Selective Laser Sintering, FDM, resin-based processes, Binder Jetting and metal Additive Manufacturing are increasingly integrated into real industrial workflows for tooling, functional prototypes, low-volume production and end-use components.

This session will provide a structured engineering overview of the main Additive Manufacturing technologies currently used in industry and examine how engineers can select an appropriate process based on product requirements, materials, production volume, performance and manufacturing constraints.

The automotive sector will serve as the main application context throughout the session.

Topics

• Introduction to Additive Manufacturing

• The role of Additive Manufacturing in Product Development

• Overview of Polymer Additive Manufacturing Technologies

• Overview of Metal Additive Manufacturing Technologies

• Materials for Additive Manufacturing

• Advantages and limitations of current technologies

• Technology selection based on engineering requirements

• Industrial applications in the automotive sector:

  • Rapid Prototyping

  • Manufacturing Tooling

  • End-use Components

  • Low-volume Production

• Industrial case studies

Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Understand the main Additive Manufacturing technologies used in industry.

• Differentiate between major polymer and metal Additive Manufacturing processes.

• Select an appropriate manufacturing technology based on engineering requirements.

• Identify opportunities where Additive Manufacturing can provide added value throughout the product development process.

• Evaluate the main advantages and limitations of Additive Manufacturing technologies.

• Understand how Additive Manufacturing is being applied to prototyping, tooling, low-volume manufacturing and end-use automotive components.

From Prototyping to Production

One of the central ideas of the session will be understanding where Additive Manufacturing creates genuine engineering value.

The discussion will therefore move beyond the question of “Can this part be 3D printed?” toward a more relevant industrial question:

“When does Additive Manufacturing represent the best engineering and manufacturing solution?”

Participants will explore the relationship between:

Product Requirements → Material → AM Technology → Manufacturing Constraints → Performance → Application

This provides the foundation required for the following sessions of the series, where the focus will progressively move toward Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) and advanced design methodologies.

A Live Automotive Engineering Master’s Session

This is not a standalone webinar.

Participants will be joining a real live session of the Master’s Degree in Automotive Engineering, together with the students enrolled in the course.

The objective is to create a direct connection between engineering education, industrial experience and the professional SOLIDWORKS community, giving participants access to the same technical discussion and expertise available to the Master’s students.

Because this session takes place during the regular Master’s class, only 10 places are available for external in-person attendees.

Everyone is welcome to join virtually.