Faster tooling in the automotive sector through high-speed 3D printing at Subaru

Additive manufacturing is increasingly being used in the automotive industry as a tool to accelerate internal development processes. A recent example is provided by Subaru of America, Inc., which has significantly shortened tooling lead times for assembly and accessory processes using the T25 high-speed print head on the FDM system Stratasys Ltd. F770. The goal was to reduce response times in production and decrease reliance on external suppliers.

The T25 High Speed Head is designed for large-format FDM printers and increases material throughput while maintaining dimensional accuracy. Subaru uses the solution for internal tools, fixtures, and prototypes that are required directly on the assembly lines. According to the company, development time for tools was reduced by more than half, while overall costs for prototypes and production equipment fell significantly. At the same time, manufacturing could be consolidated onto a single platform, improving part repeatability.

From a technical perspective, Subaru benefits from the higher print speed particularly for large-volume components. Tools with a length of around 36 inches can be produced with the T25 almost twice as fast as with the standard print head. This makes the F770 relevant not only for prototyping, but also for short-term production needs.

“Thanks to the higher throughput with the F770, operations have become more reliable and robust,” said Matt Daroff, Project Engineering Manager at Subaru of America, Inc. “When we can provide parts to our internal customers earlier, they have the opportunity to identify things we may not have noticed during development. This allows us to make corrections sooner and minimize time and material waste caused by defective products before they are manufactured.”

From Stratasys’ perspective as well, the new print head addresses classic tooling challenges.

“Our customers want to move quickly without compromising part quality or incurring unnecessary costs,” said Rich Garrity, Chief Industrial Business Officer at Stratasys. “The T25 High Speed Head delivers exactly that—it helps manufacturers produce large tools faster, with the confidence that the parts will perform under demanding industrial conditions.”

The Subaru example shows how industrial 3D printing is evolving from a purely development-focused tool into an integral part of production-adjacent processes.