General Motors is redefining what’s possible in automotive manufacturing with the Cadillac CELESTIQ, using additive manufacturing (AM), commonly known as 3D printing, not just for prototyping—but as an essential part of low-volume production.
In this ultra-luxury, hand-built electric sedan, more than 130 components have been created using 3D printing, marking a bold step forward in integrating advanced manufacturing into the production of high-end vehicles.
Among the most notable 3D-printed elements is the steering wheel center trim bezel, GM’s largest production metal part created with metal laser powder bed fusion—a precision process that uses lasers to fuse metal layers into intricate, durable shapes impossible to replicate using conventional techniques.
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This particular piece even incorporates LED backlighting, seamlessly blending cutting-edge function with the CELESTIQ’s refined aesthetic.
Another groundbreaking component is the seat belt adjustable guide loop, GM’s first 3D-printed metal safety part, which won the 2024 Award of Distinction from the Metal Powders Industry Federation.
The part’s design was only made feasible through additive manufacturing, which enabled GM to create a strong, elegant one-piece form that meets the CELESTIQ’s strict design and safety requirements.
Beyond CELESTIQ, GM has already used 3D printing in performance vehicles like the Cadillac V-Series Blackwing, which features details such as a 3D-printed shifter medallion, and in Cadillac Racing motorsport applications.
But CELESTIQ is by far GM’s most ambitious use of the technology, representing a shift in how the company approaches luxury craftsmanship and component integration.
All this innovation is centered at GM’s Additive Industrialization Center (AIC) in Warren, Michigan—a 15,000 square-foot facility housing over 20 machines for printing both metal and polymer components. Here, functional parts like window switches, interior grab handles, and console decor are prototyped and refined before being handed off to suppliers for full-scale production.
According to Brennon White, a GM specialist with over a decade in AM, the decision to use additive techniques always comes down to two questions: Can it meet the functional requirements? Does it make economic sense? For CELESTIQ, the answer was a clear yes, allowing GM to deliver a product that’s as innovative as it is luxurious—one that couldn’t have existed without the flexibility and precision of additive manufacturing.
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