Trainees at the Volkswagen Academy engage in daily tasks using 3D printers, logging over 1,900 printing hours weekly. Mentors guide them from design to printing, fostering a creative environment. Projects range from mentor-designed training tasks to real orders from other departments, such as production line models, jigs, holders, and teaching tools, using materials from PETG to PC-CF and TPU.
Volkswagen Academy runs an autonomous 3D priting farm.
A 3D-printed nylon handle for a tailgate screwdriver.
Original Prusa XL helps make parts and tools from PCCF
A custom designed tool for quick label placement.
One project involved creating a 3D-printed template for attaching labels to the ID.4, designed to fit the power cord cover with embedded magnets. Another addressed an unwieldy tailgate screwdriver by crafting a customized nylon handle, improving usability on the assembly line. Trainees, often new to 3D printing, learn via Prusa Academy online courses, praised for their clear instructions and practical tips.
Future-Proof Training for Innovation
Volkswagen’s “future-proof training” emphasizes creative problem-solving over routine mastery. 3D printing is central to this approach, enabling trainees to understand additive manufacturing and propose process improvements. This prepares them for diverse challenges in automotive design and production.
Design trainees learn to make various tools.
The result – a 3D-printed jig for component storage.
Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned automotive manufacturers. Founded in 1937, the company produces a wide range of vehicles under various brands, including Volkswagen, Audi, Škoda, and Porsche. Volkswagen Academy is situated in Emden and is a part of the complex where key models Passat, Arteon, or ID.4 are manufactured. A flagship of VW’s ACCELERATE strategy, shifting towards electromobility and more environmentally friendly vehicle production, Volkswagen invested around 1 billion euros into the Emden facility to make it one of the most modern automotive factories in the whole world.
