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One for the road!

«Materialise offers us prototyping and small series solutions adjusted to our specific needs. We appreciate their proximity, flexibility and quickness of response. In the context of rapid prototyping, these criteria are essential.»

Ludovic Chaillou Responsible Renault Trucks Prototype Workshop, Geometry & Quality support

Materialise assisted in the development of the new Premium Route

Renault Trucks designs, produces and commercialises global solutions for road transport companies. They owe their growth to their intensive commitment in matching the needs and diverse expectations of professional users.

Renault Trucks have been able to expand their network by continuously providing a dedicated and professional service to all truck drivers. This approach makes that their vehicles are valued highly by all transport professionals.

 

Premium Route grill

A Research & Development Team of 1200 people works daily on the optimisation and improved reliability of the vehicles: from the beginning, Renault Trucks developed generations of trucks which were more productive, environment-friendly and safer. The Renault Trucks brand has become in the meantime a strong and worldwide reference in the trucks business.


Premium Route dashboard

 

Renault Trucks has been a loyal Materialise customer for several years now, particularly the Cabin Research Department which internally utilises rapid prototyping technologies (e.g. stereolithography, RIM, vacuum casting). Many development projects have been realised with the help of the Materialise RP technology range. 
 

From stereolithography , over vacuum casting to RIM, Materialise uses its RP knowledge to support the Cabin Research Department in reducing lead times and increasing the quality of future Renault Trucks models.

One of the most important projects of the last two years is undoubtedly the new Premium Route. This showpiece integrates a new dashboard and grill; two innovative components. With the assistance from Materialise, Renault Trucks avoided numerous expensive retrials.

 

“In the early stages of a project, it is essential to have a first model up and running for testing as quickly as possible. Consequently, technologies should be used that are able to realise functional and representative models.”

Mr. Chaillou

Stereolithography master, used to build the silicone moulds (made by Materialise)

For this particular case, on Renault Trucks’ specific demand, Materialise produced various single-piece dashboards in stereolithography, some of them reinforced with glass fibre backing. Materialise succeeded in delivering several dashboards in record times, especially the very first one which was present at the customer’s site in less than one week. These remarkably short delivery times can be achieved thanks to Materialise’s large capacity — the largest one in Europe! — and the patented Mammoth service which has the capability of “printing” a whole truck dashboard in one single piece.

Detail

In a next phase, it was necessary to check how the electricity cables and ventilation tubes would fit inside the new dashboard. For this kind of functional tests, Materialise prototyped a dashboard combining different materials and technologies (selective laser sintering , stereolithography, high speed milling , …) in order to offer the best solution, including fixations and support structure.

 

Detail

With the progress of the project, the customer’s needs were growing as well. It was necessary for the Cabin Research Department to have complete dashboards, which matched the final series part as close as possible, to perform reliable tests. These dashboards were assembled to the truck for several test runs.

Reaction Injection Moulding (RIM) is known as being the most suitable technology for the realisation of large components in small series. Materialise has made different silicone tools which were used for moulding components in PU-material, approaching the final production material very closely.

 

“This RIM technology permitted us to dispose of real-life dashboards in extremely short lead times. RIM appeared to be so advantageous that we also turned to this technology for the different test phases in the product development process of the new Premium grill.”

Mr. Chaillou.

Materialise would like to thank Mr. Ludovic Chaillou and Mr. Alain Prudon for their valuable contribution to this case study.
 


Materialise started several years ago with developing their own stereolithography machines. These patented Mammoth machines are made to build large parts with dimensions up to 2100x680x800mm in amazingly short lead times. The materials that are used perform well and can simulate for instance PP or ABS.

Materialise started in 1999 with their R.I.M. activities and has since then perfected its R.I.M. know-how. Reaction Injection Moulding is the answer when more than one prototype part is required. Large, functional parts can be produced within short lead times and at very competitive prices. The range of R.I.M. materials allow the realisation of the prototype as well as small production runs of lightweight and mechanically functional parts. The technology is ideally suited for automotive applications. The production cycle time is relatively short allowing a throughput of about 30 parts per week (dependent upon size and complexity).
 

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