GM Invests $81 Million for Additive Build of Cadillac CELESTIQ

Just recently, General Motors attracted a lot of attention in connection with additive manufacturing. With the help of 3D printing, the American automaker was able to produce 60,000 parts for its Chevrolet Tahoe 2022 in just 5 weeks! Now, General Motors announced a major investment in its Global Technical Center in Michigan to advance the construction and improvement of its famous Cadillac CELESTIQ. The car company, which owns well-known brands such as Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun, and also Wuling, is now also focusing on making the cars fully electric.

The investment of more than $81 million in the Global Technical Center is made to ensure that the campus is ready for the construction of the Cadillac CELESTIQ, with work already being in full swing! General Motors’ Additive Industrialization Center, which opened in 2020 on the GM Global Technical Center campus, can be seen as the main reason for the successful implementation of additive manufacturing on the Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V. Those were GM’s first vehicles to benefit significantly from additive manufacturing, as parts such as the shift lever emblem, transmission components and air conditioning ducts, among others, were 3D printed for the vehicles.

The Cadillac CELESTIQ will be built using additive manufacturing at the Global Technical Center in Michigan (photo credits: General Motors)

Using the Ultium Platform For The Construction

When it comes to the additive build of the Cadillac CELESTIQ, GM’s Ultium platform is particular useful as it is GM’s centerpiece when it comes to additive manufacturing. It includes a common electric vehicle architecture, powertrain components, battery cells, modules, and packs as well as Ultium drive units, electric motors, and integrated power electronics. The platform offers the automotive group the advantage of standardizing and streamlining machinery, tooling, and assembly processes, leading to greater flexibility and, at the same time, lower capital investment and greater efficiency when it comes to transforming further assembly plants.