The future is now!

The LQ from Toyota stands for a new understanding of mobility and for futuristic design, both outside and in. That's why the designers in Japan aimed to develop a center console for the LQ that is much more than a practical armrest. Functionality and safety were to be combined with a completely new design to create something incomparable. Of course, without breaking the strict budget.

The decision to use additive manufacturing to produce the console was an obvious one. With FIT as a partner, Toyota's goal in this project was to develop and produce a center console that had to be:

• very light to enable the vehicle to have the longest possible range.
• very safe, because the LQ is a concept vehicle with road approval.
• extraordinary and awe-inspiring with its appearance.

The starting point was an initial design draft of the console, which was still too heavy due to its relatively massive geometry and therefore too expensive to manufacture. At this point, the design experts from FIT took over further development.

Design is the key

What is particularly exciting about the console box, however, is its inner structure, as it is a very lightweight, hollow construction. To ensure the necessary stability, the design professionals at FIT developed a network of struts whose profile was precisely matched to the loads on the console. This ensured that the center console weighed only 7.0 kg, yet was robust enough to pass the required safety tests for road approval.

The design project simultaneously defined the manufacturing strategy for 3D printing. Quality and manufacturing costs were key considerations. Due to the size of the console, it was not possible to manufacture the component in one piece. So the console was broken down into 8 individual parts, which together could be perfectly produced in one build job.

To ensure that the regulations regarding flame retardancy for components in the interior of vehicles were met, a thorough material selection was carried out before production. As part of an ADM-D project, various material alternatives were analysed for their suitability and tested accordingly. This showed that PA 2241 FR was the optimum material for manufacturing the console box.

The special process requirements

The particular challenge in this project was to develop a design that on the one hand met Toyota's high demands, but on the other hand could also be produced at a reasonable cost. Both have been achieved in this project, with Toyota benefiting in particular from the following advantages:

• Low component weight of only 7.0 kg
• Low component complexity, as the bracket consists of only 8 parts
• High component stability that meets all safety requirements for road approval
• Fulfillment of fire protection requirements due to flame-retardant plastic PA 2241 FR
• Delivery of a total of 32 brackets within 10 weeks since project start-up

It was the combination of design and manufacturing expertise that convinced Toyota to realize the project together with FIT. The fact that FIT was able to produce not only the components themselves, but also the necessary gauges, dummies, etc., thus guaranteeing the perfect quality of the console boxes, was another winning point for FIT.

Take advantage of our comprehensive service to have your vehicle components manufactured safely and reliably as series parts with additive manufacturing at FIT.