Key Takeaways
- McLaren partners with Divergent to create lightweight, 3D-printed vehicle parts.
- Divergent’s Adaptive Production System (DAPS) will be used for chassis components.
- The partnership will result in lighter components, improving vehicle performance and making for more efficient production techniques.
McLaren and California-based Divergent (founded by the owners of Czinger) have announced a new partnership. The two companies will use additive manufacturing (3D printing) to reduce vehicle weight and improve performance while introducing more sustainable and efficient production techniques.
Divergent has expertise in the additive manufacturing game and will use its know-how to enable McLaren to introduce new, more intricate designs into future models. That’s quite a statement; McLaren’s latest cars have extroverted exterior designs with complicated shapes and panels made from carbon fiber and other lightweight materials. If the name Divergent sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the startup founded by Kevin Czinger, the man responsible for the most power-dense production engine in the world. Divergent has also partnered with Bugatti for the new V16-powered Tourbillion, which is something we’ll come back to in a moment.
Sophisticated Production Techniques Will Benefit Future McLarens
At first, McLaren will use the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS). This will allow the automaker to 3D print unspecified chassis components for next-generation supercars. The automaker hasn’t said which vehicles will use DAPS first, but it could be for the company’s all-electric supercar or even its first-ever SUV. More likely, however, is the successor to the P1, which will employ a hybrid V8 engine from Ricardo, and would benefit the most from ultra-lightweight construction.
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McLaren says the new manufacturing system will allow it to “further reduce weight and improve dynamic performance,” which are key tenets of the McLaren brand. Given that the Woking-based brand prides itself on lightweight construction, the DAPS production methods could help balance out weight in future electric vehicles, which are heavier due to their battery packs and electric motors.
“We’re excited to work with Divergent who, like McLaren, have demonstrated a commitment to manufacturing and engineering innovation. This technology will help us to further reduce weight in our complex structures, which will ultimately benefit the driving experience of our customers and support McLaren’s mission to push the boundaries of performance.”
– Michael Leiters, CEO, McLaren Automotive
Divergent has already helped Bugatti reduce weight on the Tourbillon, 3D printing the lightweight suspension components that weigh 45% less than the steel items in the Chiron. This is one of the key elements that allows the Tourbillon to weigh less than the Chiron, despite the addition of a heavy plug-in hybrid system.
DAPS Could Be Adopted By Other Automakers Someday
These are just the early stages of the partnership, which will soon blossom into greater things. With McLaren’s help, Divergent hopes for DAPS to be adopted throughout the automotive industry. This could be hugely popular, as car manufacturers constantly look for ways to streamline production while reducing wastage and weight – only adding material where necessary to strengthen without adding excess weight.
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3D printing isn’t new to the automotive scene, and we’ve already seen some wild technology concepts being touted for potential production. Last year, CarBuzz uncovered a patent from BMW for 3D-printed bucket seats, and Bentley has been using 3D printing technology for many of its components for quite some time. However, this technology has yet to catch on with mainstream manufacturers.
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