Many are aware of the capabilities of 3D printing—its ability to take even the most complex designs and transform them into tangible, functional products used across various industries. Yet, one often-overlooked aspect is its potential to be a cost-effective solution, even for projects with evolving design requirements.
In this article, we delve into the journey of producing interior parts for Geyushi Automotive Industry’s buses using 3D printing; exploring how this technology tackled traditional manufacturing challenges and unlocked new levels of efficiency and innovation.

About Geyushi Automotive Industry
Industry
Challenge
Product
Location
Why Fab Lab Egypt
The Challenge: Enhancing Aesthetics and Functionality in Bus interior design

For many companies in the automotive industry, innovation starts with a vision for smarter, more efficient production processes. Geyushi, an automotive industry expert, is no exception. While assembling bus components, they encountered a unique challenge: open-ended metal rails that required a neat, durable finish customized to match the shape of each rail end.
According to Geyushi's production manager,
"We were looking for a way to enhance the overall appearance of the rails inside the buses—specifically, the bus seat track and led profile concealed in the stairs—and provide a quality to these bus parts."

The main purpose of metal profile end caps was to improve the look of buses. However, they also improve safety by covering sharp edges on metal rails, reducing the risk of injuries for passengers and maintenance workers.
With this blend of style and safety, metal profile end caps have become an essential part of bus interior design.
The Solution: leveraging 3D Printing Technology
Geyushi knew exactly how many parts they needed from the beginning. This made 3D printing a better choice than traditional manufacturing methods like plastic injection molding, which requires an expensive mold, making it impractical for their small production of end caps and potential future design changes. Instead, 3D printing technology offered a flexible and cost-effective solution tailored to meet their unique requirements.
"3D printing technology eliminated our need for traditional manufacturing methods and significantly reduced costs," said Geyushi’s business development manager.
The steps: From Design to Implementation
Design

The process began with finalized CAD (Computer-Aided Design) models for end caps, these designs were made to match track, channel profiles, ensuring a perfect fit for the rail end shape dimensions.
3D Printing

With the optimized CAD files in hand, the printing process began. So far, over 800 sets of metal profile covers have been printed, totaling 600 hours of printing. This process has contributed to efficient production while ensuring compliance with the required quality standards.
Post-Processing
After 3D printing, each end cap went through post-processing to ensure a smooth finish.
These steps included cleaning the covers to remove support structures or excess material. Then, a hot air gun was used to eliminate fine strings and smooth out any imperfections, resulting in a high-quality, uniform surface.
The Result
Enhancing the look of bus interior design while improving production efficiency and saving costs has made the use of 3D printing technology a great success. Plans are in place to explore more ways to incorporate 3D printing into similar projects.
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