Most automotive 3D printing stories are about replacing a part that already exists. This week Ford filed something different. A new patent application, DE102026105285A1, assigned to Ford Global Technologies and first reported by Fabbaloo on August 19, describes suspension components like steering knuckles and control arms with fluid passages printed directly inside the structure. Brake fluid routed through the knuckle itself. Coolant flowing through a control arm on its way to an electric motor. No hoses, no fittings, no brackets, because the plumbing is the part.
That is a bigger deal than it sounds, and it says a lot about where custom manufacturing is heading for the rest of us who do not run a global automaker.
A Suspension Part With the Plumbing Built In
According to the patent filing as reported, the process builds part of the component, forms the internal channel, then keeps printing until the passage is fully enclosed. The filing even describes varying the channel diameter along its route, so a wider section can act as a small reservoir that buffers pressure spikes. Ford notes suspension travel can reach as much as 15 inches, so every inch of flexible hose you remove from a moving assembly is one less thing to flex, rub, and fail.
The filing goes further: multiple deposition systems on one machine, conductive ink for printed circuits, and strain sensors embedded during the build so the part can report the loads it carries. A forged knuckle carries load. This thing carries load, fluid, wiring, and data.
I need a bracket that also routes air or coolant. Can one 3D printed part do both jobs?
Yes, combining a structural bracket and a fluid or air passage into one 3D printed piece is a standard move in additive manufacturing, and it is often the whole reason to print the part instead of machining it. Internal channels, curved ducts, and enclosed passages that would be impossible to mill as a single piece print in one operation with no extra cost for the complexity. We design and build exactly this kind of consolidated part for customers: fan shrouds with mounting tabs, ducting that snakes around obstructions, manifolds that replace a stack of fittings. If your assembly has a bracket holding a hose that runs to another bracket, there is a decent chance it should be one part. Send the problem to info@dcadditivepros.com and we will tell you honestly whether consolidation makes sense.
Why This Patent Matters More Than Most
Automakers have printed prototypes, jigs, and low volume parts for years, but those were always parts that could have been made another way. Casting and forging win on cost at volume, so 3D printing stayed on the sidelines for production. Ford's filing flips the question. A load bearing knuckle with a curved hydraulic passage buried inside it has no conventional manufacturing path as a single piece. If engineers start designing vehicles around geometry only additive manufacturing can produce, printing stops being the alternative and becomes the requirement.
That same logic already applies at our scale. The most valuable custom parts we build are not cheaper copies of catalog parts. They are the parts nobody makes at all: the accessory the manufacturer skipped, the bracket for hardware that was never meant to mount that way, the replacement for a component that went extinct with its vendor.
The vendor discontinued my part and there are no drawings. Can someone reverse engineer it?
Yes, a discontinued part can be 3D scanned, rebuilt as a precise CAD model, and reproduced, even when no drawings exist, as long as a physical sample survives, and this works for vintage automotive parts, obsolete machine components, and consumer hardware alike. We do this routinely with our 3D scanning and reverse engineering service: scan the original, model the true design intent rather than the worn surface, and print in a material matched to the job. For parts that live near heat, we print engineering materials up to and including PEEK and ULTEM. One honest boundary: we do not produce safety critical suspension, steering, or braking components. Trim, brackets, ducts, knobs, housings, and interior pieces, absolutely. The parts your life depends on belong with certified processes, which is exactly why Ford's production grade approach with in-process inspection is the news here.
What Makers and Buyers Can Do With This Today
If you design your own parts, steal the idea behind the patent rather than the patent itself: stop printing replacements for machined shapes and start designing shapes machining cannot make. Channels, internal lattices, and consolidated assemblies are free complexity on a printer. If you buy parts for a business, the takeaway is about lead time. A one-off consolidated part with internal features does not need tooling, a minimum order, or an eight week queue. Our build and ship service exists for exactly that gap.
And if you make hardware, scanners, or materials aimed at this kind of work, we review products from the shop floor perspective. Brands are welcome to reach out at info@dcadditivepros.com.
Frequently asked questions
I need a replacement part for a discontinued car. Can someone 3D scan and print one?
Yes, if you have the physical part, it can be 3D scanned, converted to CAD, and reproduced in an appropriate material. This is ideal for trim, brackets, clips, knobs, and housings on vintage or discontinued vehicles. Safety critical suspension, steering, and braking parts are the exception and should come from certified suppliers.
Can you 3D print a part with channels or passages inside it?
Yes, fully enclosed internal channels are one of the things 3D printing does that machining cannot do in a single piece. Air ducts, fluid routing, cable passages, and manifolds print in one operation with the channel already inside.
Can a 3D printed part handle heat under the hood?
Yes, with the right material. High temperature polymers like PEEK and ULTEM handle sustained heat well beyond what common hobby plastics survive, and we print them in-house. The honest answer always starts with your actual temperature, load, and chemical exposure, so share those when you ask for a quote.
How do I get a quote for a custom 3D printed part?
Email a description, photos, or a CAD file to info@dcadditivepros.com. If you only have the physical object, we can scan it. You will get a straight answer on feasibility, material, and price, including a no if the part is not a good fit for printing.
DC Additive Pros is an independent US manufacturer in Rockville, MD. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Ford Motor Company, Ford Global Technologies, or Fabbaloo. Brand names are used only to identify the news being discussed. Patent details are as reported by Fabbaloo from the published application.