Porsche presents innovative 3D-printing technology for bucket seats

03/17/2020

Porsche is revolutionizing sporty seating: the company presents an innovative alternative to conventional bucket seat upholstery with the concept study “3D-printed body form full-bucket seat”.

Here, the central section of the seat, in other words, the seat and backrest cushions, is partly produced by a 3D-printer. Customers will be able to choose between three firmness levels (hard, medium, soft) for the comfort layer in the future. With this new technology, the sports car manufacturer is once again underlining its close ties to motorsports: the personalized sports seat follows the principles of driver-specific seat fitting customary in professional motorsports.

“The seat is the interface between the human and the vehicle and is thus important for precise, sporty handling. That’s why personalized seat shells customized for the driver have been standard in race cars for a long time now,” says Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development at Porsche. “With the ‘3D-printed body form full-bucket seat’, we’re once again giving series-production customers the opportunity to experience technology carried over from motorsports.” In addition to an ergonomic fit similar to that found in motorsports, this seat also delivers a unique design, lower weight, improved comfort, and passive climate control.

"3D-printed bodyfoam full-bucket seat" concept study distinctive design thanks to red visible components in 3D lattice structure and Racetex cover

"3D-printed bodyfoam full-bucket seat" concept study: colouring of the 3D-printed visible components of the comfort layer

"3D-printed bodyfoam full-bucket seat" concept study: close-up of the 3D lattice structure

The “3D-printed body form full-bucket seat” is based on the lightweight full-bucket seat from Porsche and features a sandwich construction: base support made from expanded polypropylene (EPP) is bonded to a breathable comfort layer consisting of a mixture of polyurethane-based materials made using additive manufacturing – in other words in a 3D-printer. The outer skin of the concept seat is made from “Racetex” and features a specific perforation pattern for climate control. Window panels provide a view of exposed colored components in the 3D-printed lattice structure and give the full-bucket seat an unmistakable design.

The “3D-printed body form full-bucket seat” will be available from Porsche Tequipment as a driver’s seat for the 911 and 718 ranges from as early as May 2020. The range will initially be limited to 40 seat prototypes for use on race tracks in Europe in combination with a six-point seat belt. Feedback from customers will be incorporated into the development process. As a next step, street-legal “3D-printed body form full-bucket seats” in three different firmness levels and colors will be available ex-works from the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur from mid-2021. In the long term, the technology will also enable fully personalized solutions if sufficient customers express an interest in this. In addition to an extended range of colors, seats adapted to the individual customer’s specific body contour will then also be developed and offered.