Peugeot has implemented Stratasys’ innovative 3DFashion technology for the interior of its new Inception concept car, achieving a level of resolution that would not be possible with traditional decoration methods. Inception is the first project realized by the company’s design director Matthias Hossanna and represents a significant change for the brand. The new car has a “revolutionary” interior and uses advanced materials produced exclusively using Stratasys J850 TechStyle 3D printers.
The interior of the Inception concept vehicle follows Peugeot’s new design concept for electric cars. It features a minimalist cabin designed to support the car’s overall goal of reinventing the driver’s experience, and features submerged seats covered in 100% recycled polyester velvet. The velvet also extends to the floor and showcases unusual 3D patterns created with 3D printing technology.
“At Peugeot, we always like to combine function with aesthetics,” said Maud Rondot, CMF designer from the Peugeot design team, responsible for the brand’s future vision. “Our goal with the seating area of Inception was to modernize the velvet material used and extend it also as a floor mat with a high visual impact.”
According to Rondot, the floor space would normally need to be covered with a protective covering, but the Inception concept uses 3D printing directly onto the fabric to provide a unique combination of functionality, texture and aesthetics. She is convinced that this would not be possible with other technologies.
“Even though we have access to fairly flat patterns with current ornamental methods, it is not possible to build thickness and height. That’s why we turned to Stratasys and thanks to the 3DFashion technology we were able to print spatial structures directly on the flexible material,” she added. “There is often a difference between what we imagine and what we can get, so it was amazing to see our idea exactly as we imagined it and with amazing quality of execution.”
The core theme of the Inception concept is to reflect the relationship between materials and light, which required Peugeot’s design team to use materials that would match the car’s specific look and reflect the brand’s vision for future electric cars. Peugeot worked with single material effects – the team chose a metallic shade of velvet to visually and symbolically play with light and convey something more futuristic, before using the J850 TechStyle 3D printer to create semi-transparent ‘micro-architectures’.
“Instead of covering the entire length of the fabric, it was really beneficial that we could leave the velvet visible,” added Rondot. “3D printing has given us the ability to modify and reprint files very easily, but just as important is its durability and performance; as a technology it does not require forms, which is revolutionary in terms of industrialization.”
Source: Stratasys press materials