How 3D printing and AI are transforming vehicle manufacturing – Interview with PIX Moving

Founded in 2013, PIX Moving has established itself as a growing force in the world of robotics and smart mobility. The company is reshaping the way vehicles are designed and manufactured, with a strong focus on the use of AI-driven production methods and advanced 3D printing technologies. PIX Moving’s portfolio includes autonomous vehicles such as the Robobus shuttle, Robo EV smart electric vehicle and on-demand moving spaces such as the Robo-Shop. These innovations are part of the company’s broader mission to transform urban mobility. In an interview with 3Druck.com, PIX Moving provides insights into how emerging technologies might reshape the automotive industry.

What sets PIX apart is its commitment to digital manufacturing and modular design. By integrating 3D printing into their production process, they can create custom vehicles with greater flexibility and reduced lead times. This approach allows for faster adaptation to the demands of the global market.

Generative design and robotics play a key role in PIX’s manufacturing strategy, enabling the production of lightweight, efficient vehicle components. The company’s focus on sustainability is evident through its use of 3D printing materials and design methods that minimize waste while maximizing structural integrity.

Recognized by the World Economic Forum as one of the “Top 100 Most Promising Technology Pioneers Globally,” PIX Moving is exploring new possibilities in urban mobility by integrating advanced technologies with innovative vehicle design and manufacturing approaches.

Interview with PIX Moving

In an interview with 3Druck.com, PIX Moving discusses the advantages of its large-scale metal 3D printing technology, emphasizing its potential to reduce material waste, streamline production processes, and enhance design flexibility. The company highlights the integration of generative design and additive manufacturing, which allows for more efficient vehicle production by reducing the number of parts and simplifying assembly. This combination leads to more innovative, customizable, and sustainable solutions for the automotive industry.

In your opinion, what advantages does PIX Moving’s large-scale metal 3D printing technology offer compared to traditional manufacturing methods in vehicle production?

PIX Moving’s large-scale metal 3D printing technology offers several advantages over traditional methods in vehicle production, including reduced material waste, faster prototyping, and the ability to create complex geometries that enhance performance. It also lowers costs by minimizing the need for extensive tooling and assembly, streamlines supply chains, and enables customization at scale. Overall, this technology allows for more innovative designs and rapid adaptation to market demands.

Currently, PIX Moving has applied 3D printing and digital manufacturing in the batch production of its autonomous and smart vehicles, such as:

Robo-EV, a two-seater smart electric vehicle: With our revolutionary manufacturing technology, we use metal 3D printing to achieve one-piece molding in vehicle structures. This reduces parts and welding, significantly minimizing failure points, resulting in greater stability, improved handling, enhanced safety, and lower maintenance costs.

PIXKIT Autonomous Driving Development Kit: The Knight Driving Kit includes a cargo-type frame top produced using lightweight metal 3D printing technology, enhancing performance and safety.

Robobus Autonomous Shuttle Bus: PIX Robobus autonomous shuttle utilizes 3D printing and digital manufacturing approaches, driven by robotics and AI.

How does the combination of generative design and additive manufacturing help reduce the number of vehicle parts and assembly work by 60%?

PIX Moving uses generative design to optimize product structures, whose shapes and properties can be modified quickly to suit different project requirements based on actual application scenarios. Combined with metal 3D printing and other digital manufacturing approaches, a wide variety of smart robotics platforms and vehicles can be produced with shorter lead times, further enhancing the diversity and mass application of autonomous driving technologies.

Generative design utilizes algorithms to explore numerous design possibilities, optimizing factors such as strength, weight, and material cost. This process allows PIX Moving to create components that use less material while maintaining or enhancing performance. By consolidating multiple parts into a single component, generative design reduces the total number of pieces needed in an assembly. For instance, complex geometries that would traditionally require several parts can now be produced as one integrated unit. The integration of generative design with additive manufacturing eliminates many traditional manufacturing steps. A multi-part assembly can be redesigned into a single printed part, streamlining production and reducing labor costs associated with assembly. PIX Moving’s Robo-EV and PIXKIT products are examples of how the company integrates generative design with additive manufacturing to transform how smart vehicles are designed and built.

PIX Moving is also combining a diverse range of innovative manufacturing technologies for building smart vehicles, including additive manufacturing, robotics, WAAM (wire-arc additive manufacturing), ISF (incremental sheet forming), as well as machining, thermoforming, and CNC equipment. PIX Moving has built a digital manufacturing unit with robotic arms and welding machines to conduct large-scale metal 3D printing. Compared to conventional manufacturing, digital manufacturing enables 6-10 times shorter lead times in product development, as no complicated and costly moulds are required, and designs can be manufactured directly from engineering models to physical products. Additionally, major parts (up to 60%) can be simplified through generative design and additive manufacturing. Traditional automotive manufacturing requires thousands of car parts, involving moulding, tooling, and specific production line setups, which slow down iteration and pose risky investments. Now, PIX Moving can reduce this to around 100 parts with the one-piece body structure.

Additive manufacturing has developed continuously over the last few years. Which innovations or technological breakthroughs do you consider to be particularly important for the automotive industry?

The automotive industry has witnessed significant advancements in additive manufacturing (AM) in recent years, driven by several key innovations and technological breakthroughs. We believe the featured innovation below will be essential for the automotive industry:

 – The introduction of new materials, including high-strength polymers and metal alloys, has expanded the capabilities of AM. In general, the materials for additive manufacturing are limited, which hinders the mass adoption of AM in the automotive industry. A wider variety of durable yet cost-effective materials can further expand the application of AM in automotive manufacturing. PIX Moving is currently actively exploring new materials and manufacturing approaches for its robo-vehicle production, such as composites.

– Additive manufacturing at scale: Additive manufacturing has been applied in many industries besides the automotive industry. However, the scale or production capacity is always a concern. Increasing the production capacity of AM could be crucial for the auto industry.

In this case, PIX Moving is promoting the distributed digital manufacturing approach. A digital manufacturing cell can be duplicated, and several cells can work together collaboratively to complete complicated and large-scale manufacturing tasks. These digital manufacturing cells can be set up in different locations around the globe to achieve distributed manufacturing. The whole production system will be on-demand and flexible. Decentralized, distributed manufacturing factories can be established with global partners to boost the local economy and reduce reliance on global supply chains.

What is your vision for the future role of additive manufacturing and generative design in the development of smart vehicles and urban infrastructure?

PIX Moving envisions a transformative future for additive manufacturing (AM) and generative design in the development of smart vehicles and urban infrastructure. Our approach integrates advanced technologies to create innovative solutions that are redefining urban mobility.

We envision that additive manufacturing and generative design will work together more seamlessly. By combining generative design technology and smart manufacturing techniques, PIX Moving aims to bridge the gap between the design and manufacturing stages, realizing an integrated and seamless workflow from design to manufacturing of PIX robo-vehicle products. Meanwhile, we’re committed to environmental sustainability, utilizing sustainable materials in the manufacturing processes. By minimizing waste through efficient AM techniques, we aim to contribute to greener urban mobility solutions.

PIX Moving’s vision for the future of additive manufacturing and generative design focuses on creating modular, sustainable, and adaptable smart vehicles that enhance urban mobility while fostering innovation through advanced manufacturing techniques.

Here you can find more information on PIX Moving.