McLaren Automotive and Divergent announce 3D printing partnership

McLaren Automotive has announced a multi-year collaboration with California-based industrial digital manufacturing company Divergent Technologies. The collaboration will further expand the use of additive manufacturing to improve vehicle performance, sustainability and production efficiency.

Divergent Technologies brings a unique approach to the design and manufacture of complex structures, enabling McLaren to integrate new and more complex designs into the vehicle architecture. This not only leads to better manufacturing efficiencies, but also supports a more sustainable supply chain. As part of the collaboration, McLaren will use the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPSTM) to additively manufacture chassis components for the next generation of supercars. This technology will further reduce vehicle weight and improve dynamic performance – both core areas of McLaren’s DNA.

“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”, said Michael Leiters, CEO, McLaren Automotive.

The agreement marks the beginning of a long-term relationship between the two companies, which share the common goal of driving the adoption of DAPSTM in the automotive industry. This will enable transformative vehicle designs and performance for customers.

“Our collaboration speaks to McLaren’s commitment to adopting the highest performance technology to push the envelope on customer experience. DAPS offers automotive manufacturers the means to harness computing power to deliver fully optimized, digitally manufactured structures with unparalleled design freedom”, said Kevin Czinger, CEO, Divergent.

This strategic partnership between McLaren and Divergent comes in the context of a growing movement in the automotive industry towards innovative manufacturing technologies. Additive manufacturing, often referred to as 3D printing, has evolved significantly in recent years and now offers possibilities that go far beyond prototyping.