Ford is into 3-D printing, fictional nanomorph assassins (probably)

Ford is jumping on board with the 3-D printing craze.

The automaker recently launched an online store with 3-D printable models of its vehicles, bringing plastic Focuses and 6-inch GTs to the masses. It's a nice gesture for those of us for whom the real versions are just slightly out of our price range.

And now, the blue oval folks have announced a partnership with 3-D printing startup Carbon3D.

Carbon3D gained attention this spring with a TED talk by its CEO Joseph DeSimone, who dramatically fabricated a geodesic ball on-stage as he delivered a 10-minute explanation of the company's patented technology. He compared the process to a scene in Terminator 2: Judgement Day in which Skynet's T-1000 robot assassin materializes from a pool of metallic goo.

Ford is apparently not concerned that its new partner claims inspiration from a villainous shape-shifting death machine.

But, hey, ten minutes to complete a print. That's pretty great, right?

Unlike the more well-known MakerBot-style 3-D printing, in which layers of resin are laid down on top of one another to build up a structure, the technology Carbon3D employs involves a UV-curable resin and carefully regulated bursts of light, effectively growing the object out of a pool of liquid resin.

Carbon3D says their technology can print up to 100 times faster than existing bottom-up printing methods. Ford went with a more conservative “as much as 25 to 100 times faster.” It's certainly speedier than Ye Olde MakerBot, and produces a smoother finish.

(For more information on how Carbon3D's technology works, follow the links at the bottom of this blog.)

Automakers and parts suppliers have espoused additive manufacturing's potential to streamline production, support parts consolidation and lightweighting, reduce waste, and grant more design freedom. Ford said it's using engineering resins that can damp vibrations and withstand high temperatures.

The startup and the automaker have been working together since December of last year. So far, Ford has used this exciting technology inspired by acclaimed science fiction to produce a bunch of elastomer grommets for the Focus Electric.

Just like the movies.

Watch DeSimone's TED talk here.

Read the Science paper on the technology here.