Automaker reduces tooling costs and accelerates production using a new high-speed print head designed for industrial manufacturing.
MINNETONKA, Minn. & REHOVOT, Israel–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS) today announced how Subaru of America, Inc. is accelerating automotive tooling development using the new T25 High Speed Head for the Stratasys F770 3D printer. By adopting the high-speed print head for in-house additive manufacturing, Subaru has cut tooling development time by more than 50 percent while significantly reducing overall prototyping and tooling costs.
With the new T25 High Speed Head for the Stratasys F770, Subaru is able to build parts, prototypes, and tools like this positioning tool to attach side body moldings.
Subaru’s engineering teams, which support the development of accessories and installation tooling, are among the first customers to implement the new T25 High Speed Head. The teams are using the new head to improve speed, consistency, and responsiveness across workflows that are critical to keeping automotive installation lines running smoothly. As a result, the automaker has achieved:
- A more than 50% reduction in development time for tools;
- Overall prototyping and tooling costs reduced by 70%; and
- A 36-inch tool printed nearly twice as fast (1.96x increase) compared to the standard head offering
With the T25 High Speed Head, Subaru was able to consolidate production onto the Stratasys F770 platform, improving repeatability and part quality while enabling faster turnaround for urgent tooling requests. This approach has helped Subaru respond more effectively to changing requirements while reducing reliance on long lead times and outsourced manufacturing.
“Being able to get the enhanced throughput with the F770 has made for a more reliable and robust operation,” said Matt Daroff, Project Engineering Manager at Subaru of America, Inc. “Getting parts to our internal customers earlier gives them an opportunity to identify things we may not have caught in development. This enables us to make corrections sooner, minimizing waste of time and material on defective output before it’s produced.”
Subaru’s results highlight the impact of Stratasys’ newly introduced T25 High Speed Head, which delivers up to 2.3 times faster print speeds on large-format parts while maintaining part quality. Designed to support industrial production environments, the T25 helps manufacturers accelerate automotive tooling, reduce turnaround time, and increase agility across tooling, prototyping, and production applications.
Stratasys’ additive manufacturing solutions also address common challenges manufacturers face with traditional tooling methods, including long lead times of eight to twelve weeks, high CNC machining costs, and risks associated with outsourcing. By enabling faster, in-house production of large tooling components, manufacturers can improve operational efficiency while maintaining quality and control.
“Our customers want the ability to move fast without sacrificing part quality or incurring unnecessary costs,” said Rich Garrity, Chief Industrial Business Officer at Stratasys. “The T25 High Speed Head delivers exactly that—helping manufacturers produce large tooling faster, with confidence that the parts will perform under demanding industrial conditions.”
The T25 High Speed Head is now available. For more information on the T25 and how Subaru leveraged it to improve tooling efficiency, read the full case study here.
Source: Stratasys Ltd.
