The automotive business is in the early adoption phase of implementing 3D printers for smart manufacturing applications. For a VP of Engineering the technology promises to reduce cost, improve design quality and to innovate, while reducing delivery lead times. As with the adoption of any discontinuous technology, status quo thinking has to be overcome and multiple players in the manufacturing process need to buy-in before change can occur. Lack of capital and sufficient margin to innovate as well as retooling costs also hamper progress. However the revolution is underway and Stratasys is at the forefront of the smart manufacturing revolution. SSYS Production 3D printers enable i. Prototyping of new designs from concept to functional testing without tooling. ii. Enables bridge tooling prior to finished tooling, as well as iii. Digitally manufactured jigs, fixtures and certain classes of parts, to lower risk, accelerate time to production