Jaguar Land Rover

Fit and function testing

Over-moulding is also an important function of the Connex. Two materials are used, but not mixed, to create, for example, a cover with rubber seal. Once cleaned the assembly can be used directly for fit and function testing. Other key areas for Connex-use include the development of door seals and protective gaiters, where just the non-rigid TangoBlack Plus is used, and more recently the creation of parts for functional testing.

The biggest user of Connex capabilities is the styling department at Jaguar Land Rover. Over half of everything produced on the 3D printer finds its way into the design studio to help finalise new design proposals.

A good example was the creation of an entire telescopic headlamp washing system that extends and cleans headlamps every fifth time the windscreen is washed. The Connex-printed components proved to be robust enough for rigorous testing, allowing the design to be proved before moving into the expensive tooling stage.

The different attributes of the Connex clearly come into play in different ways for the above applications, but in summary the general benefits for Jaguar Land Rover are good part definition with high accuracy and dimensional control as well as fast turnaround due to easy operation, a fast build speed and simple clean-up process. More specifically, the Connex has impressed with its ability to prototype parts direct from CAD data that would have been time consuming or expensive by other means.

The power of two

Jaguar Land Rover installed a Connex500 from Objet in the summer of 2008. The 3D printer was chosen for its multi-material capability, which combines two different materials and draws on their best attributes to deliver superior models.

The two global premium brands of Jaguar and Land Rover have been under single ownership since the year 2000, firstly as part of the Ford Motor Company and now as the UK-based wing of the Indian TATA Group.

The two marques originally started life with completely different perspectives. The first Jaguar, the SS100, was launched in 1935 as the first 100mph affordable sports car. With classic lines and high performance it became the inspiration for a remarkable lineage of
Jaguar cars with a reputation for speed, comfort and race winning.
In contrast, the first Series 1 Land Rover 80, built in 1948, had completely different attributes, being an ‘all-purpose vehicle’ with a rugged, no-frills design and off-road capabilities. Today, there are eight vehicle lines produced by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). To ensure that these lines maintain their premium position in the marketplace, almost 20% of Jaguar Land Rover’s workforce is employed on product development, using the very latest CAD techniques with in-house prototyping and tooling to quickly prove designs. In addition to CNC
model making and a fully equipped metalwork and toolshop, the prototyping capabilities include several RP machines using SLA, laser sintering and polymer jetting technologies.

Prototyping parts direct from CAD data

Jaguar Land Rover invested in the Connex500 in 2008 to broaden its resin-based RP prototyping capabilities. The ability to create models direct from CAD data with elastomer, rubber-like materials and produce working mechanisms, were other key benefits that would
contribute towards reducing development cycles. To prove its capability, the Connex was initially tasked to produce a complete facia air vent assembly for a Range Rover Sport. It was modelled using rigid materials for the housing and air-deflection blades, and rubber-like materials for the control knobs and air seal.

Jaguar Land Rover was able to print the complete facia air vent, as a working part, in a single process. Once printed, the model was taken from the Connex, cleaned and tested immediately, proving that the hinges on the blades all worked and the control knob had the right look and feel.

The backbone of Connex is Objet’s PolyJet Matrix technology. By jetting two distinctive model materials in preset combinations in a matrix structure, it is possible to create multiple flexible and rigid materials with different mechanical and physical properties as well as finishes.