Tech Insider / CZINGER 21C Slowly but surely, additive manufacturing (AM) is making its way into mainstream automotive, moving beyond the realms of pure prototype production Words: Lawrence Butcher ORGANIC OPTIMIZATION zinger is at the forefront of harnessing AI technology and currently developing its Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS) for vehicle manufacturing. The company is a subsidiary of California-based Divergent 3D, and its 21C (see Source material, APTI , June 2022, p4*) makes extensive use of metal AM throughout its structure and powertrain. “The idea of doing the gearbox case has been on the agenda for about four years,” reveals Czinger chief engineer, Ewan Baldry. In the early days of the project, though theoretically feasible, the footprint of the metal AM machines then in use couldn’t accommodate a complete transmission casing. However, Baldry had confidence in the developments Divergent had underway: “We knew on the roadmap that we would be going to machines that would be capable of doing something for this kind of size.” Despite the company’s extensive expertise and the success of the 21C to date, production of a component as complex as a transmission casing, with the associated critical tolerances and durability requirements, was not to be taken lightly. “It was a pretty ballsy decision because obviously, at some point, you’re committing to printing it,” says Baldry. “That means you’re committing to design it in a way that fundamentally probably isn’t fit for casting. If it didn’t work out, then it would be a massive U-turn, a huge delay to the program.” C 4 Transmission Technology International / 2023