Cast Metals Engineer – Chrysler Group, LL
Thomas has over 27 years in the automotive industry with over 24 years as the Supervisor of the Rapid
Prototyping Laboratory. Thomas sits on several additive manufacturing (AM) Executive Boards and has
presented and written many articles on the AM Technology.
Speech Abstract:
Chrysler Group LLC purchased its first pieces of Additive Manufacturing (referred to in the early days as
Rapid Prototyping) in October of 1989 with the purchase of two 3D Systems Stereolithography SLA‐250’s
which were installed in January of 1990. Since the initial purchase, Chrysler Group LLC now has 13
systems including Stereolithography, Laser Sintering, PolyJet Printing and Fused Deposition Modeling.
The original reason Chrysler Group LLC purchased the equipment was to augment the wood model
makers in the development of prototype components for both a visual model that you can actually
touch (versus the CAD model) as well as a “Space Claim” article while building a prototype vehicle when
production intent parts were not available. Today these parts have a myriad of uses from visual models
used for bid packages, Space Claim Models for packaging studies, Photoelastic Stress Analysis, Master
Patterns for silicon tooling as well as Metal l casting and everything in between.
This presentation will discuss how these technologies play an active and integral role in the product
development cycle as well as the increase in vehicle quality and the reduction of “hic‐ups” during
product launch.