Stratasys GM additive manufacturing collaboration expands

Stratasys and GM Expand Additive Manufacturing at IMTS 2026

Stratasys GM additive manufacturing collaboration is being highlighted at IMTS 2026 in Chicago, where Stratasys Ltd is showcasing its F900 FDM industrial production printers and their use across General Motors manufacturing operations. The September 14-19 event provides a platform for the companies to demonstrate how industrial additive manufacturing can support production applications across multiple facilities. GM teams use Stratasys FDM solutions to produce tooling, fixtures, jigs, factory aids, and end-use parts. The collaboration also demonstrates how manufacturing organizations can share and scale additive manufacturing applications across facilities while addressing production requirements with equipment already deployed within their operations.

GM Uses Stratasys FDM Systems Across Production Facilities

Manufacturing teams at General Motors have deployed Stratasys additive manufacturing platforms across more than 20 production facilities in North and South America over many years. These applications cover manufacturing functions including tooling, quality, safety, and ergonomics. The broad deployment indicates that additive manufacturing is being used as an operational resource rather than being limited to isolated development activities. GM facilities use the systems to create production-related components and tools that address specific manufacturing requirements, allowing individual teams to apply the technology to factory problems while maintaining access to established additive manufacturing capabilities across multiple locations.

F900 Applications Support Factory Operations

Stratasys Ltd FDM additive manufacturing solutions are used by GM teams for a range of factory applications, including ergonomic production aids, quality-control tools, fixtures, protective components, tooling, and replacement parts. According to the shared article, GM facilities have reported significant savings from these applications. The systems are also used to help improve productivity, reduce downtime, and accelerate problem-solving. By producing application-specific components for manufacturing operations, teams can address production needs with tools and parts tailored to individual factory requirements, while supporting quality, safety, ergonomics, and other operational priorities within the production environment.

GM Engineers Demonstrate Factory Applications

A new video features GM engineers from Factory ZERO, Lansing Delta Township, Fort Wayne, and Silao explaining how they use Stratasys F900 systems to address production problems. The facilities represent manufacturing operations in both the United States and Mexico, providing examples of how additive manufacturing applications are being implemented across different GM production locations. The demonstrations focus on practical factory uses rather than only the capabilities of the printing equipment itself. They show how manufacturing personnel apply FDM technology to specific production challenges involving tooling, fixtures, quality, safety, ergonomics, and replacement components.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The deployment of Stratasys FDM systems across more than 20 GM production facilities highlights the role additive manufacturing can play in distributed factory support, particularly where teams need production aids, tooling, fixtures, or replacement components for specific operational requirements. Continued use across facilities could support further standardization and sharing of manufacturing applications while allowing individual plants to address localized production challenges. The IMTS 2026 showcase also puts greater attention on the practical use of industrial 3D printing within automotive manufacturing, with productivity, downtime reduction, problem-solving speed, and factory ergonomics remaining relevant considerations for manufacturers evaluating additive production technologies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is General Motors using Stratasys additive manufacturing systems?
General Motors uses Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing solutions across more than 20 production facilities in North and South America. Applications include tooling, fixtures, jigs, ergonomic production aids, quality-control tools, protective components, and replacement parts. GM teams use these systems to address production problems, support productivity, reduce downtime, and accelerate problem-solving. Engineers from several GM facilities, including Factory ZERO, Lansing Delta Township, Fort Wayne, and Silao, have described how F900 systems are applied to manufacturing challenges. The examples demonstrate practical uses of industrial additive manufacturing within automotive production operations.