Richardson Automotive Body Shop

The Divergent Blade is a 3D Supercar

The future of automotive transportation just took a big leap forward when people got a chance to check out the Divergent Blade, a partially 3D-printed supercar that was featured at the Los Angeles Auto Show recently. At Richardson Automotive Body Shop, we know that all of this new auto technology is changing our lives in many ways every day and that's why we're sharing this blog with you.

The car, made by San Francisco–based startup Divergent Microfactories said that 3D printing will allow the car to be super lightweight by reducing its overall weight of the car by as much as 90%.

A amalgamation of carbon fibers mixed in with 3D printed parts and components, the Divergent Blade is a sensation and people all over the world are still trying to get their heads around it. It is indeed a game changer and many car experts say that soon more highly-innovative 3D vehicles will be flooding the market within 5-6 years.

The Divergent Blade prototype is built on a chassis and structure using a combination of 61 pounds of 3D-printed aluminum “nodes” connecting to 41 lbs. of carbon-fiber tubing that is not 3D-printed. Allegedly, the Divergent's chassis will weigh 100 pounds, compared to a regular chassis that is 1,000 pounds, and can also be assembled in just one-half hour. When it is fully assembled, the entire vehicle will weigh 1,388 lbs.

So while the Divergent Blade is not a 100% 3D printed vehicle, it is surely a first-generation prototype that is breaking the mold. The Divergent car suggests  a manufacturing system in which a 3D printing company produces all of the nodes for the car while small factories all over the country quickly manufacture them and assemble them. Based on plans Divergent has strategized, the company claims that with $20 million, they can make 10,000 cars a year, which is ambitious, but seems plausible based on their report.

While still in its prototype stage, the Divergent Blade is a very positive step for Divergent Microfactories, and undoubtedly they will be getting some more seed money based on its initial success.

Will we be living in a future here in Richardson, TX where we'll be driving cars that were simply printed out at a local facility? Who really knows, but by the existence of this impressive prototype, it shows that great minds working with emerging technology can create amazing things like the Divergent Blade.

Sources: TIME, Forbes and USA Today