3D Printed Truck Grille

Our client Hexagon Purus has teamed up with Hino trucks to launch Tern, a dedicated zero-emission truck brand and its inaugural model, the RC8. With a need for a distinctive grille design to differentiate the RC8 , Hexagon partnered with the designers at Play & Co to create something unique. Typical processes for developing automotive body components can take months or even years. With an aggressive marketing schedule and and an unveiling in Vegas looming just weeks away, a different solution was needed.

Hexagon and Play & Co found Figure Plant and our large-format 3D printing capabilities. High-volume 3D printing at unheard of speeds coupled with our outside-of-the-box fabrication and finishing capabilities transformed a seemingly impossible problem into impeccable OEM-looking components on-time and within budget.

We cranked out the first truck grill for the marketing video shoot on the Bay Bridge in San Francisco followed immediately by a second for the Expo floor in Las Vegas a few weeks later. As stated by Play & Co Senior Designer, Jason McGinnity: "Building Tern Trucks and bringing the RC8 to life at ACT Expo / ACT News in Las Vegas has been one of the most rewarding creative challenges of my career and I could not have done it without the insane talent around me every day. A massive thanks to everyone involved for their passion on this project - the work spoke for itself." Morten Holum, CEO of Hexagon Purus says, "Tern RC8 delivers the comfort, reliability and safety that drivers and fleets want, and it’s purpose-built to be a very practical truck for operators integrating zero-emission trucks into their fleets, we are excited to introduce a truck that embodies the endurance and efficiency of the Arctic Tern, renowned for its light weight and long migratory journey – a trusty companion you can always rely on."