Nissan Motor Co has developed and put into practical use ‘face-to-face die-less moulding’ that forms body panels without using moulds. The Japanese automaker says that in future, it “will use this technology to consider the commercialisation of after-service parts and repair parts for older cars.”

The opposite or dual-sided die-less moulding methodology involves a robot equipped with a rod-shaped tool using the incremental moulding technology in which the panel is gradually deformed to form the moulding tool on the opposite side. It is a construction method that can form more complicated shapes. The method of forming while linking opposing tools is difficult because it involves controlling two tools, and thus far has been considered difficult to put into practical use.

Nissan says it succeeded in putting it to practical use by combining accumulated knowledge in the field of production technology possessed by the company's production technology R&D Centre with the research results of tool materials from the Research Laboratory.