Porsche has revealed a new process for the creation of 3D-printed bucket seats. The aim is to enable customers to choose the seats that suit them best.
The German automaker explains that part of the central section of the seat, which is the comfort layer of the base and the backrest, will be produced by a 3D printer. Customers will be able to choose between three levels of firmness — soft, medium or hard — depending on their needs. In this way, Porsche will be able to offer its customers a service similar to the one provided to racing drivers who benefit from their own personalised seat shells. All in all, the new process will improve design, reduce weight and offer better passive cooling.
The new bucket seats will comprise three layers of materials. There is a base of expanded polypropylene (EPP), which is bonded to a 3D-printed breathable, comfortable layer. Finally, the outer skin of the seat is made of “Racetex” with a very specific perforation pattern.
The 3D-printed bucket seats will initially be offered to buyers of the Porsche 911 and 718 ranges in an edition that will be limited to 40 prototypes, each of which will be equipped with a six-point seat belt.
