Manufacturing Tooling 3D Printing

Field: Vehicle and aviation component manufacturing
Technologies Used: Large-format FDM 3D printing (BigRep industrial printer)

About the Project

The Kawasaki Motors Corp. factory in Lincoln, Nebraska, employs over 2,400 workers, and the production area creates an exceptionally wide range of products—from all-terrain vehicles and rail cars to aviation components such as Boeing 777X aircraft cargo door assemblies. The diversity of projects and specific engineering requirements resulted in continuous dependence on external suppliers for ordering manufacturing tools, fixturing jigs, and assembly support equipment. To reduce costs and avoid production downtime, the decision was made to bring manufacturing tooling production in-house.

Engineering and Manufacturing Solutions

To optimize internal processes, the Kawasaki engineering team implemented a large-format BigRep FDM 3D printer:

Manufacturing Tooling Production: Collets required for CNC tube bending machines, previously ordered in steel, were replaced with 3D-printed PLA plastic parts. These tools withstand repeated compression forces and are successfully used in direct production lines for up to 5 months.
Rapid Problem Solving and Adaptation: Upon discovering fixturing deficiencies in laser engraving equipment supplied by vendors, engineers modified the 3D model and printed precisely matching holders the next day. Custom-shaped mounting parts were also created to protect assembled product surfaces from scratches.
Aviation Process Acceleration: When developing Boeing 777X components and facing lengthy fixturing equipment approval processes, a temporary positioning jig was manufactured with the 3D printer in just 5 hours, allowing work to continue without downtime.

Results Achieved

85% Lower Tooling Costs: Steel collets, previously costing over $500 per unit, were replaced with 3D-printed equivalents with a production cost of just $17.
Rapid Return on Investment: Due to intensive use (more than 100 parts printed during the first 6 months), the equipment fully paid for itself within six months.
Reduced Production Setup Time: Tooling production time was reduced from several weeks (when ordering externally) to several hours or one day.

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Problem

The Kawasaki factory produces a wide range of products—from all-terrain vehicles to Boeing 777X aircraft cargo door components. This diversity required continuous ordering of external manufacturing tools (e.g., tube bending collets). Ordering metal tools from subcontractors was expensive (e.g., a single collet cost over $500), and long delivery times slowed production and prototyping processes. Additionally, strict aviation certification and coordination requirements caused downtime when the appropriate assembly tooling was unavailable.

Solution

The company implemented a large-format BigRep 3D printer, enabling engineers to quickly produce the required manufacturing equipment themselves. Kawasaki began printing CNC tube bending tools from PLA (used for up to 5 months), custom laser engraving holders, and specialized fixturing jigs matching precise product geometries.

Result

Tube bending tool production costs were reduced by 85%. Required tools and holders are manufactured within hours or 1 day, avoiding weeks of waiting from external suppliers. The 3D printing equipment paid for itself in approximately 6 months, during which more than 100 parts were printed. The ability to customize and adapt solutions enabled quick correction of inaccuracies in supplier-provided equipment and prevented production line stoppages.