PSA Group, a French automotive manufacturer, has unveiled a new, special series called the DS 3 Dark Side. This new car was designed in part thanks to additive manufacturing, bringing a look of class and modernity to the automotive industry. As a limited edition vehicle, this car highlights this French manufacturers commitment to innovation.
While the DS 3 Dark Side may be new, this isn’t PSA Group’s first rodeo with additive manufacturing. Under their Peugeot car brand, the group previously entered into a partnership with Divergent 3D, with the aim of incorporating additive metal manufacturing into their production process. Currently, it is their high-end DS brand that will be taking on 3D printing technologies with the DS 3 Dark Side at the forefront. A vehicle whose exterior is characterized by a special texture and an interior that includes titanium parts that were 3D printed.
The exterior of the car was painted using a “textured” paint that gives it a clean, grey body finish. The designers of the car have incorporated a technique that they call “3D skin”, which gives the body of the car geometric type patterns. “From afar, DS 3 Dark Side looks sculpted from a rough, dark, mineral material. Then as you get closer you’re intrigued by the subtle geometric patterns engraved in the skin of the car. The effect is so unreal you have to reach out and touch the body to see what it feels like. It’s a truly unique impression.”
As for the interior of the vehicle, the materials used are purified and the equipment is of the highest quality. Included in the car are parts that have been 3D printed, such as the levers of the door handles and the key insert. Designers used CAD software to create the different parts, which were then 3D printed using a powder binding process. After 65 hours of printing, the finished part was processed and some manual finishing was carried out for a light and unalterable titanium result.
To find out more on the DS 3 Dark Side, you can read the full official press release here
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