M4 CSL

Make
BMW
Segment
Coupe

BMW is proposing 3D-printed bucket seats devoid of any visible padding, yet without compromising on the comfort of upholstered seats. CarBuzz has discovered a BMW patent filed with the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) in which BMW described a "process for the additive manufacturing of a component."

Additive manufacturing is the hifalutin term for 3D printing, but the basic premise behind the patent is that various mediums can be used during the 3D printing process, arranged in lattices of varying tightness, and cured in specific ways that result in certain elements being harder than others, while some remain soft and pliable.

BMW uses a bucket seat as an example - the sort you might find in the M4 CSL, for example - in which the core structure of the seat is printed with a tightly-packed lattice and cured so that it becomes rigid and provides suitable support in the event of an impact. But the outer layers of the seat would be printed from a looser lattice and cured differently, taking on a spongy consistency.

Whereas presently, particularly sporty bucket seats typically have a carbon fiber shell with either a full foam cushioning system with upholstery over the top or individually upholstered pads bonded to the seat, what BMW proposes would replace this with a seat manufactured all in one piece.

In theory, it could appear as a relatively plain bucket with a smooth surface, but the various areas of the spongy outer layer could deform at different rates, revealing a countered inner structure that provides supreme support with soft bits in all the right places, like at the hip points where a little extra cushioning would go a long way toward greater occupant comfort.

Beyond this, we can see other benefits, too, like padding that deforms less towards its core, which can accommodate occupants of different sizes and weights without being too stiff or too soft for either.

By deforming at a progressive rate, light occupants would only adjust the softest support, while heavier-set drivers and passengers would meet more resistance the further the material compresses.

The customizability potential is also extreme, as 3D printing would enable a range of colors, patterns, designs, and even textures to be created. Some of these textures could be created by a second process in which the outer layer is treated, with heat as an example, to shrink-wrap it to the core structure.

BMW says the technology could also be used on armrests, steering wheels, and trim elements on the dash to create soft-touch elements without resorting to foam - which used to be all the rage but wasn't particularly good for the environment.

Bucket seats are about to get even more interesting, and BMW's history of 3D printing could give it an advantage.