We’ve seen 3D printing technologies for cars before, but never like this. The artist 3D SANAGO made a Porsche Taycan body for an RC car with a 3D pen and even has working lights. However, unlike a regular 3D printer which makes a model with a series of layers, it chose to use a series of “body panels” instead, leaving the inside hollow.
3D SANAGO starts by creating wire mesh for each part of the car based on construction plans. He then connects the pieces by melting their corners together and adds structure to the frame, with more lines running across each panel. After finishing the body, he completely fills the surface with circular movements and prepares it for the next step: smoothing.
Watch: The Porsche Taycan beat a 911 GT3 RS and a 911 GT3 Cup Car in a drag race
To smooth the bodywork, he uses a soldering iron that heats the plastic to allow it to spread, but not enough to affect the shape of the car. The next step is painting, but before that can happen the car needs to be sanded. He brings a power sander to the body to make sure no stains are overlooked, and then grinds it with finer and finer grains of sandpaper until the surface is nice and even.
For the next step, 3D SANAGO coats the body with a layer of putty to make it even smoother and then grinds it again to finish the surface. For detailed parts of the car such as lights, mirrors and bumper covers, he makes the parts separately and glues them on.
See also: Porsche brings Taycan Stateside for beginners and starts under 80,000 US dollars
Finally we come to the main event: painting. 3D SANAGO begins by applying a primer. Then he adds the green color and then applies a clear coat. To top it off, he adds an LED system to create the work lights as well as the windows, badges and panel spacing.
The whole process is pretty impressive actually, and you can see it all for yourself in the video below.