We get a lot of questions about what we do here at E30 Update. We’ve added a few Q-n-As below, and will update the E30 Update FAQ page with more as we track them.
You’ve probably already heard about 3D printing. But if you haven’t, it is a modern manufacturing process. Unlike injection molding or CNC milling, it builds material up layer by layer using using a number of different processes. What process is used depends on what material is required. There are dozens of 3D printer manufacturers offering hundreds of 3D printers that can print an ever increasing variety of materials including metals.
We are currently using a small fleet of Prusa Mk3s+’s. We have plans for bigger & better… so buy some stuff!
“E30” is the internal company model code for a line of passenger cars designed, manufactured, and marketed by BMW as the “3 Series”. In the USA the the E30 3 Series was sold from 1984 – 1994 in varying configurations.
SPOILER ALERT!
eehh, no. But we want to! Buy some other cool parts from E30 Update and eventually we’ll be able to print your spoiler. And maybe even a Dash 😉
We have well over 100 parts in the cue, so we’ve got our work cut out for us. However, if you have a compelling part in mind, head up to the “Contact” page and get in touch. If it’s a part that’s not on the list, we’ll certainly give it consideration depending on factors like size and part complexity. If we have a few other requests for the same part or you can convince us there’s decent demand it could be moved in to the development cue.
This depends on the part and the process. We evaluate each part for the best additive manufacturing process. In some cases, some parts may not have 100% structural integrity as the original in one axis or another, but in other cases the parts can actually be much stronger than the original. We will also tweak and update designs to take into account the manufacturing process for the best possible results. With 3D printing, we don’t have to worry about being able to release the tool from the part, so we can add structural reinforcement in places where it was impossible to on the original part!
We manufacture many of the parts “in-house”, but we also currently “farm out” larger parts as well as the more advanced processes such as metal. As we grow, we plan to bring as much manufacturing “in-house” as possible.