Posted on

Joyson Safety 3D Prints Functional Airbag Housing Using Windform

Joyson Safety Systems, a leading provider of mobility safety components, systems and technology, recently developed its first functional 3D printed prototype of a Driver Air Bag (DAB) housing, using selective laser sintering (SLS) and Windform composite material from CRP Technology.

Image courtesy CRP Technology

Joyson Safety Systems already has a history of pioneering innovation in mobility safety solutions, such as airbags, seatbelts, safety electronics and more, for automotive and non-automotive markets. Worth noting is the fact that it was the first manufacturer to supply leading OEMs in North America and Europe with steering wheels with Hands on Detection (HOD) for autonomous driving. In this instance, the company’s Core Innovations team looked to quickly develop prototypes for its airbag housing and turned to additive manufacturing to explore new processes and materials.

Image courtesy CRP Technology

Traditionally, the airbag housing is produced using injection molding made up of a material that is polyamide with 40% glass fiber reinforcement, PA6-GF40. The DAB system, which needs to deploy in just 30-50 milliseconds to prevent injury to the driver, consists of the inflator, airbag cushion, cover and housing attached to the steering wheel. The performance of this system is essential, as a critical safety component of the vehicle that needs to have enough strength, impact resistance, and stability under heat and other diverse environmental conditions. Samer Ziadeh and Daniel Alt from the Core Innovations team explain the requirements for the DAB,

“It is to withstand a high amount of dynamic loads in addition to holding the inflator and the airbag cushion fixed in location during and after the deployment of the airbag system. This load is developed due to the pressure required to inflate the airbag, as a result the large stresses will directly be applied on the airbag system and more particularly on the DAB housing. The test procedures are normally conducted within a various range of temperatures between -35°C and 85°C.”

Image courtesy CRP Technology

In looking for the right material for the DAB, the team found CRP Technology’s patented Windform range of high performance SLS materials more than suitable for their requirements:

“…after running some market analysis in order to find out the most suitable material and process that could deliver the required performance, we came across the Windform TOP-LINE family of composite material and, specifically, the Windform SP. Windform SP brought our attention to the fact that it’s a material produced from polyamide PA grades, reinforced with Carbon fiber or fiber-glass, as a powder form material, and it has almost the required and even better performance for our application.”

Windform has emerged as a high performing SLS material which has been applied in sectors such as motorsports, as with Mercedes AMG Petronas, automotive, and aerospace, as with NASA. Windform materials not only meet the stringent requirements for use in aerospace or motorsports, but can also be CNC machined or post-processed with tooling equipment. CRP has become a leader in high-performance AM materials for SLS with Windform, applying its expertise in a range of proven applications from medical to UAVs, satellites to electric motorbikes.

Image courtesy CRP Technology

This application is a first for Joyson Safety Systems in producing, in a short period, a functional prototype of a DAB housing using SLS with composite materials.

The post Joyson Safety 3D Prints Functional Airbag Housing Using Windform appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Posted on

How CRP Technology is innovating the Additive Manufacturing world

Highlighting new applications for advanced 3D printing materials, CRP Technology has shared a case study showing how Windform FR2 was used by Energica Motor Company, an Italian manufacturer of electric motorcycles, to manufacture cell pouch frames for its battery pack prototypes.  Earlier this year 3D printing materials manufacturer and additive manufacturing service supplier CRP Technology […]
Posted on

Pioneering the Additive Manufacturing Revolution in the Aerospace and Avionics fields

CRP Technology has been among the first to import additive manufacturing technology to Europe, and has developed the Windform® TOP-LINE family of composite materials.

They are some of the international market’s most high-performance Carbon- or Glass- composite laser sintering materials, in use for more than 20 years in the aerospace, UAV, defense, avionics markets for the most demanding applications.

Therefore it is unquestionable that CRP Technology has been changing the rules of additive manufacturing, smashing records and setting models nowadays that apply to 3D printing with polyamide materials.

A clear sign of this continued performance is Windform® FR1 (FR stands for Flame Retardant), the new-born material from the Windform® TOP-LINE family of composite materials for additive manufacturing.

It is intended to become a game-changing material in the field of 3D printing for its uniqueness: it is the first Flame Retardant (UL 94 V-0 rated) material for additive manufacturing which is carbon fiber reinforced.

It is also passed the FAR 25.853 flammability tests successfully as well as the 45° Bunsen burner test.

“Only a few weeks from the launch of a new range of Windform® materials, the P-LINE for HSS technology,” commented Franco Cevolini, VP and CTO at CRP Technology. “I’m very proud to introduce a new revolutionary composite material from the Windform® TOP-LINE family of materials for laser sintering technology. Our aim is to constantly produce technological breakthroughs. With Windform® FR1 we can steer you toward the proper solution for your projects.”

Franco Cevolini. Ph©Elisabetta Baracchi

“I’m firmly committed to solving one of the most important challenges, maybe the main one, for people who work in the 3D printing field “– added Cevolini – “the ability to ensure the performance and reliability of the AM process and materials. At CRP Technology and CRP USA we work extremely hard to control our process. We do testing on both equipment and materials on a regular basis. This kind of effort lets our customers understand that we are not just cranking out parts like a traditional rapid prototyping service bureau.”

Someone could say this technology and materials are expensive, but it is not correct especially in a long-term perspective. It is proven that using professional 3D printing and Windform® composite materials produce substantial cost savings considering the whole process performance.

“With professional 3D printing and Windform®” commented Cevolini – “the manufacturing process, from the design phase to product development, is optimized. Quality is not a cost, it is an investment”.

Aerospace and Avionics application spotlight

Not only the new-born Windform® FR1 material, but all the Windform® materials allow manufacturing of functional prototypes as well as finished, high-performance functional parts.

“Windform® materials from the TOP-LINE range of composite materials have some unique properties. Let’s consider, for example, Windform® XT 2.0: resistance to UV, low outgassing and its lightweight versus strength are some of the key characteristics that allow for it to replace a traditional material like Aluminium in some applications.”

The freedom of additive manufacturing allows the creation of more complex geometry, especially in the aerospace field.

TuPOD deployed © JAXA NASA

Recently CRP USA , the U.S.-based 3D printing company partnered with CRP Technology, contributed to mark a new milestone in the small satellites arena with TuPOD, the innovative cubesat manufactured via laser sintering in Windform® XT 2.0. This ground breaking project was carried out by GAUSS, Teton Aerospace, Morehead State University. From a distance, the TuPOD looks relatively simple, but upon closer examination there are some areas in the design that would have been more difficult to accomplish with traditional manufacturing methods. 

The significant performance of Windform® is creating new ways to invent and manufacture, while it is proving to be a viable option for the innovative design and high-performance features associated with advanced Aerospace applications.

“Leveraging 3D printing and Windform® composite materials properly has been a key advantage that our customers in the Space Industry have quickly adapted to. Whether it is entire structures or smaller components, we have been amazed at the creativity. The time to produce the parts is often dramatically less than through traditional methods.”

Progress has been also made in the avionics field: recently Windform® composite materials combined with laser sintering technology, have been used to manufacture some external parts of the wind tunnel model in 1:8.5 scale for the prototype of the new Leonardo Helicopter Division tiltrotor AW609, for a series of dedicated low-speed wind tunnel tests. (Designed, manufactured and assembled by Metaltech S.r.l., under supervision of Leonardo HD).

Tiltrotor-AW609. Courtesy Leonardo HD

These 3D printed parts highlight the perfect union between advanced 3D printing technology and Windform® high-performance composite materials. Thanks to the Windform® materials, it was possible to complete and test the model in the wind tunnel within a very short time, with excellent results and with high-performing mechanical and aerodynamic properties.

The 3D printed parts have been created by CRP Technology using Windform® XT 2.0 are nose and cockpit, rear fuselage, nacelles, external fuel tanks and fairings.

CRP USA also contributed to demonstrate the effectiveness of additive manufacturing and use of Windform® as a structural material for avionics applications: on behalf of Leonardo HD and under the control of ATI Co. – Newport News (the model supplier), CRP USA manufactured via laser sintering and Windform, the external fuselage and additional components for a new 1:6 model.

It was created for a high-speed wind tunnel test campaign at NASA Ames Unitary Plan 11 by 11 foot transonic wind tunnel, as part of a thorough review of aircraft behavior. 

The model scale selected was 1:6 of the full scale in order to be fully compatible within the given constraints of the physical size of the NASA 11 by 11 tunnel.

The architecture of the new 1:6 model for transonic high-speed tests was very similar to the AW609 model but with some improvements in order to have the remote controls for the flaperons and elevator surfaces.

For the first time the Windform® XT 2.0 Carbon-composite material was used for an high speed model tested at NASA AMES facility.

Windform® TOP-LINE family of high-performance composite materials have passed NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) outgassing screening, suitable for aerospace applications: 

  • Windform® XT 2.0, Windform® SP both carbon-composite materials; Windform® LX 3.0, Windform® GT both glass-composite materials: have been tested in accordance to the ASTM E-595-07 standard, and passed with no issues
  • Windform® XT 2.0 carbon-composite material: has been passed ESA screening outgassing tests in accordance with ESA TEC-QTE 7171 (based on ECSS-Q-ST-70-02C); it has been K-rated according to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) outgassing test.

In addition:

Posted on

CRP introduces Windform P-LINE range for HSS 3D printing

Italian 3D printing materials manufacturer CRP Technology, has introduced the first product in its P-LINE range of Windform materials for High Speed Sintering (HSS). “Today, I’m very proud to launch Windform P1, the first material from Windform P-Line,” said, Franco Cevolini, VP and CTO at CRP Technology. Cevolini continued, “P stands for Production […] we created […]
Posted on

CRP: producing excellence with additive manufacturing technology and high-performance materials

Energica Ego Corsa for FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup, with some 3D printed parts by CRP Technology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since the mid-90’s, CRP Technology (headquartered in Modena, Italy) has been changing the rules of manufacturing.

Most in the manufacturing Industry may have only discovered the world of additive manufacturing and 3D printing in the last decade, but CRP Technology has been familiar with its most inner dealings since 1996, when the company created, in-house, one of the first 3D printing departments with professional printers, backed up by an R&D department for material development, capable of transforming rapid prototyping into rapid manufacturing.

Franco Cevolini, VP and CTO at CRP Technology, with Energica Ego

“We’ve always believed and invested in innovation and technology” commented Eng. Franco Cevolini, VP and CTO at CRP Technology “and we still do. Since the beginning of this fulfilling business experience, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge… and now we pave new roads in technological innovations which others try to pursue, setting rules that have been adopted by others in the 3D printing of polymers”.

“Since our debut in the new-born 3D printing market,” Cevolini added “we have been working for the elite of the most demanding industrial segments, such as Motorsports and Aerospace. At that time many 3D printing suppliers in the market were not dependable yet.”

Many years of experience have contributed to the creation of the “CRP Process”, which is synonymous with tangible, turnkey solutions which can satisfy any customers’ requirements”

How it all began

CRP Technology is part of the CRP Group.  Founded in the Early Seventies by Roberto Cevolini as a company for high precision CNC machining in the Motorsports field, the company has expertly evolved over decades, skilfully responding to the demands of the international market, anticipating the need for highly unique manufacturing solutions worldwide.

In F1, obsessive attention to details quite often makes the difference. There is continuous research for the next technological innovation to get that competitive advantage even of few hundredths of a second: the CRP Group’s F1 background helped CRP Technology become a leading company in the field of additive manufacturing and laser sintering materials.

Pioneering AM revolution: Windform® Top Line for LS technology

CRP Technology not only has been amongst the first to import additive manufacturing technology to Europe and Italy but also developed the Windform® Top Line family of materials for LS technology, some of the international market’s highest-performance laser sintering materials. In use for over 20 years in the Motorsports, space, UAV, medical and other most demanding sectors. Windform® was originally devised for use in Formula One Racing, first in the wind tunnel and then on the track.

Now the Laser Sintering (LS) polyamide-based glass or carbon fiber reinforced Windform® allow for the manufacturing of functional prototypes as well as finished, high-performance functional parts, that satisfy the needs of the most demanding industries for high-performance, durable, and detailed parts.

Windform® materials are approved for space applications by international space agencies (outgassing tests carried out by NASA, ESA, JAXA) and successfully have passed other testing, such as Flammability UL 94 and VUV.

The Windform® family composite materials for LS is constantly expanding: The Windform® Top Line is nowadays composed of seven different Windform® materials. Soon it will grow to eight, “when we launch new cutting-edge composite material, the first with exceptional properties in one. It will be unique.”

Nowadays

So much of CRP’s success in Aerodynamics and Entertainment fields is due to CRP USA, CRP’s US-based partner (Mooresville, North Carolina).

3D printed hybrid rocket engine manufactured by CRP USA using LS technology and Carbon-fiber reinforced Windform® XT 2.0 composite material

Under the guidance of Stewart Davis, CRP USA’s built up considerable experience supplying cutting edge solutions for key industry leaders that chose to manufacture in the Windform® family of materials.

Automotive Intake Manifold functional prototype made of Carbon-fiber reinforced Windform® SP composite material via LS technology

CRP USA contributes to mark new milestones in the most challenging and harsh 3D printed applications arena.

Constant investment in (new) technology

Tundra-M functional drone with 3D printed body and arms made of Carbon-fiber reinforced Windform® SP and Windform® XT 2.0 composite materials via LS technology

“Our aim is producing technological breakthroughs, constantly” added Franco Cevolini “and we invest in Research and Development as well as new technology: for that reason, CRP technology’s 3D printing department is expanding towards high-tech production. We are going to integrate in-house High-Speed Sintering, introducing the P line family of materials. We will not stop here: we will continue our work on renewal and technological expansion in the field of Additive Manufacturing. Stay tuned!”

Posted on

3D Printing News Briefs: September 29, 2018

We’ve got some 3D printing event news to share with you in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, along with some business news and a story about a cool 3D printed container. At the TCT Show this week, Additive Industries announced a partnership with Laser Lines, and DEVELOP3D Magazine will soon celebrate product design and metal 3D printing at a live event. CRP Technology has created an updated 3D printed fairing for the Energica Ego Corsa superbike, and employees at the GE Additive Customer Experience Center in Munich made a 3D printed beer krug just in time for Oktoberest.

Additive Industries Partnering with Laser Lines

L-R: Mark Beard, General Manager UK, Additive Industries; Mark Tyrtania, Sales Director, Laser Lines; Daan Kersten, CEO, Additive Industries; and Phil Craxford, Sales Manager, Laser Lines

At the opening of the TCT Show, which took place in Birmingham earlier this week, Additive Industries announced a new partnership with Laser Lines Ltd. in order to speed up its 3D printing presence in the UK and Ireland. Laser Lines is a UK supplier of 3D printers, 3D scanning equipment, lasers, and related accessories, and will work together with Additive Industries to help grow the maturing market in the UK and Ireland for industrial 3D printers. Laser Lines will support Additive Industries in its work to further develop the industrial market for various applications in the aerospace, automotive, machine building, and medical sectors.

“With the recently announced expansion to the UK with a dedicated Process & Application Development Centre, we already acknowledge that the UK & Ireland is an important market that provides great opportunities for industrial companies to enter into industrial metal additive manufacturing,” said Daan Kersten, the CEO of Additive Industries. “With Laser Lines Ltd we add an experienced partner to our fast growing worldwide network that will work with us to identify and manage these opportunities that will contribute to our execution of our accelerated growth.”

DEVELOP3D Magazine Holding Live Event

Each year, DEVELOP3D, a monthly print and digital design journal, holds a live US event all about product design. This year’s DEVELOP3D Live event will be held this coming Tuesday, October 2nd, from 8 am – 6:30 pm at Boston University.

“We have some really fascinating folks coming to celebrate product design in the 21st Century,” Martyn Day from X3D Media, which runs DEVELOP3D, told 3DPrint.com. “We are especially pleased to have Ti Chang from Crave, Tatjana Dzambazova from new metals 3D printing company Velo3D and Olympian, Jon Owen from Team USA Luge.

“Our day is split with MainStage presentations from designers and the industry, together with a track dedicated to Additive Manufacturing, with all the latest in metals 3D printing.”

Tickets are just $50, and include full access to the conference and all 30 exhibitors, plus refreshments, lunch, and drinks at a social mixer. There will be 20 speakers presenting in two separate streams, and topics include CAD, topology optimization, 3D printing, virtual reality, and product development.

3D Printed Fairing for Ego Corsa

Together, Italy-based CRP Group and its subsidiary Energica have been using 3D printing and Windform materials to develop components for electric motorcycles and superbikes for a few years now. In April, the Ego Corsa electric motorcycle completed its third demo lap, and at the last series of road tests before the first edition of the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup, the 2019 2019 Ego Corsa prototype hit the track with a new 3D printed fairing, manufacturing by CRP Technology with its laser sintering technology and Windform XT 2.0 Carbon-fiber reinforced composite material. The 3D printed fairing update has improved the Ego Corsa’s aerodynamics.

“We have had the fairing available in short time. Thanks to the professional 3D printing and CRP Technology’s Windform composite materials, it is possible to modify motorcycle components – even large ones – from one race to the next ones, in order to test different solutions directly on the track,” said the Energica technical staff.

“This fairing is not only more aerodynamic, but it also has a smaller frontal and lateral section. These improvements led to achieve increase in terms of performance and they led to achieve greater manageability in fast corners.

“The Windform XT 2.0 has once again proved to be a high performance composite material. We are very happy how the 3D printed new fairing behaved during the tests.”

GE Additive 3D Prints Metal Beer Stein

Even though the month of October doesn’t start for another few days, Oktoberfest itself officially kicked off last Saturday in Germany. In order to celebrate the occasion, the AddWorks team at the GE Additive Customer Experience Center in Munich, which opened last winter, decided to take another look at the traditional glass beer krug; what we’d call a pitcher or stein in the US.

The unfortunate thing about glass is that it breaks. Obviously, if you’ve enjoyed too much beer at an event like Oktoberfest, the likelihood of breaking your glass drink container goes way up. So AddWorks decided to create a new prototype beer krug, but instead of using glass, they 3D printed it using a combination of stainless steel and titanium…and the result is pretty impressive.

Take a look at the video below, which stars the head of the Munich CEC (Matthew Beaumont), to see the whole process:

Discuss these stories and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Faceboook comments below.

Posted on

Energica establishes new department for development of Energica Ego motorcycle

Energica, the manufacturer of the Energica Ego – Italy’s first street-legal electric motorcycle with 3D printed parts – has unveiled a new Sport Production Department at its headquarters in Modena. This 160 sq. meters facility will foster the development of the Ego Corsa, the successor of the Ego racing bike designed for the FIM Enel […]
Posted on

3D Printing Golf Clubs and Equipment

Golf is a popular sport in corporate America and adds about $70 billion dollars a year to the American economy. Companies are always testing new products that will catch the attention of golfers. The 2018 PGA Merchandise Show displayed the latest and greatest from golf manufacturers; everything from top of the line golf clubs to 3D printed golf balls. These tech savvy products are aimed at bringing golf to the attention of the younger generation. Research and Development tax credits are available to companies that partake in the improvement of existing products or the creation of new ones.

The Research & Development Tax Credit

Enacted in 1981, the federal Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit allows a credit of up to 13 percent of eligible spending for new and improved products and processes. Qualified research must meet the following four criteria:

  • New or improved products, processes, or software
  • Technological in nature
  • Elimination of uncertainty
  • Process of experimentation

Eligible costs include employee wages, cost of supplies, cost of testing, contract research expenses, and costs associated with developing a patent. On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed the bill making the R&D Tax Credit permanent. Beginning in 2016, the R&D credit can be used to offset Alternative Minimum Tax and startup businesses can utilize the credit against $250,000 per year in payroll taxes.

3D Printed Callaway Golf Clubs

Callaway Golf recently announced a collaboration with Titomic, an Australian additive manufacturing company. Callaway plans to bring additive manufacturing into the golf world while also improving performance and efficiency. Titomic developed a new process for 3D metal printing called Titomic Kinetic Fusion. This process uses cold gas spraying to apply titanium particles to a structure to create parts that can withstand a great amount of force. Research and development of the prototypes will be produced at Titomic’s Melbourne facility which houses the world’s largest 3D metal printer. This isn’t the first instance of additive manufacturing in the golf industry, as last year Krone Golf created a 3D printed golf club.

Krone Golf

Krone Golf and CRP Group designed a club that was created by using a mixture of additive manufacturing and subtractive manufacturing. Designing the perfect golf club is a difficult task. Some aspects to take into consideration include swing, impact and follow-through. Restrictions such as size and weight of competitive golf clubs make it hard to develop new clubs. The miniscule characteristics of a club need to be altered in order to improve performance and additive manufacturing provides a way to make the changes needed for the development of new clubs. The body of the KD-1 driver is made from a Windform SP carbon composite that is resistant to shock and vibration, while the face is made of Ti 6AI-4V, a durable titanium alloy that is CNC machined and sanded for smoothness. Krone Golf is fascinated with how well the CNC machined parts and the Windform material work together exactly as designed. The performance test and computer simulations show the KD-1 to outperform any driver on the market today.

Grismont Paris

Golfers who want to separate themselves from the crowd will want to look to Grismont Paris. Grismont Paris produces 3D printed, custom-made golf clubs that can be finished in gold, copper, or metal. Clement Pouget-Osmont, a passionate golfer, started off making club heads for himself and friends out of his apartment in France. Now Grismont collaborates with engineers, artists, craftsmen, and clubmakers to create custom tailored 3D printed golf clubs unlike anything else on the market.

3D printing artists work together with engineers to create a harmonious balance between style and performance. Several aspects of a golf club can be adjusted to better fit the customer including center of gravity position, lie, loft, offset, club head weight, weight distribution, and  handedness. You have the option to either put in your specifications online or you can arrange a fitting session where experts will tailor your golf clubs to your every demand.

3D Printed Golf Ball

Nike is prototyping a 3D printed golf ball that is engineered to last longer and outperform even the best of golf balls on the market. Nike isn’t new to producing top of the line golf balls. The athletic company still uses elastomeric material for an inner core and a rigid material for an outer core, but 3D printing improves this process by conducting smoother transitions between materials and adding a new type of geometric configuration called a void, which could lead to performance enhancements. Nike is prototyping with different configurations, such as forming each shell layer away from the work surface, a type of assembly that is unattainable through traditional methods. Lastly, golf balls would be fused with DuPont Surlyn by using a 3D printing technique called fused deposition. While the golf ball is not on the market yet, expect Nike to announce the product in the near future.

3D Printed Accessories

For the golfers who want to 3D print on their own, Thingiverse has creations available to anyone. Makerbot, the company behind Thingiverse, designed a golfing kit that anyone can print. The kit includes CAD models for golf tees, golf forks (divot repair tool), and ball marker. The golf fork and ball marker can even be customized to display your initials or logo on the face.

Conclusion

The golf industry is constantly trying new methods of manufacturing in the quest for better performance. Club manufacturers, even brand names such as Callaway, are utilizing 3D printing in the production process in order to improve the smallest technical aspects of the golf club unattainable using traditional manufacturing methods such as injection or compression molding. Grismont is taking 3D printing to the next level by 3D printing custom-made heads and fine tuning them into top-of-the-line luxury golf clubs. 3D printing has a strong future in the golf industry and as more companies research the potentials of additive manufacturing, expect 3D printed products to become widespread in the golfing world.

Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below. 

Charles Goulding and Ryan Donley of R&D Tax Savers discuss 3D printed golf equipment.

Posted on

3D Printing Combines with Other Technologies for Latest Energica Ego Component

Following the progress of the CRP Group and its subsidiary Energica over the past few years has been exciting, as the companies work together to develop 3D printed electric superbikes such as the Eva, Ego, and Ego Corsa. The Ego made its public debut at CES at the beginning of 2016, and has wowed the public not only with its performance but with the advanced manufacturing that went into its creation: 3D printing, using Selective Laser Sintering and CRP’s Windform family of materials, and CNC machining.

The Energica Ego continues to undergo development, and recently Energica engineers along with CRP staff worked together to focus on the motor housing, a complex, important component of electric motorcycles. From the beginning, the team worked to redesign the part in order to accommodate the rotor, stator, and speed reducer. The propulsion unit to be supported is flexible and compact enough that the Energica motor housing can be adapted to any vehicle, and the reducer is composed of a straight-cut gear train that adds strength along with simplicity of design. The structure holds the shaft and pinion and final drive to the wheel with a standard motorcycle chain.

To redesign the motor housing, the team had several requirements. The electric motor was heavy and needed to be balanced out by a lightweight housing, and because the motor generated high torque it required high resistance. The gears needed to be the correct size, and the materials and heat treatments would need to be carefully chosen.

The first step was creating a functional prototype, which was done by CRP Technology. It was manufactured using SLS technology and Windform LX 2.0, a composite polyamide-based material reinforced with a new-generation glass fiber now replaced by Windform LX 3.0. The prototype allowed the technicians to validate the 3D CAD drawing and helped Energica mechanics to work on the motorcycle’s development. It was mounted directly on the motorcycle, allowing for a full check of potential issues related to the assembly of each part.

“Being able to touch the 3D printed prototype of the motor housing was very important for us, as we are the ones who manage fit and assembly,” stated the Energica technicians. “For example, we have been able to study first-hand if the component can be assembled and disassembled easily; if all the parts can be reached; if it is possible to use standard wrenches … We must put ourselves in the shoes of those who will handle the motorcycle on the market: customers, dealers and mechanics of authorized workshops.

“Designing and creating a motorcycle is a team effort between designers, technicians and engineers. We deal with technological/engineering, design, functionality issues; the final aim is to match the work of the three sectors. The prototypes created in Windform 3D printing allow you to study the various elements, and to improve them where required by shortening development time and reducing costs.

“Through the combination of LS technology and Windform composite materials, it is possible to ensure the ongoing study of the components. The prototypes made in Windform are 100% functional, we can mount them on the motorcycle and test them on the road and on the track. We do not waste time which, at this stage, is very precious.”

The next step, after the validation of the CAD file, involved the creation of an aluminum prototype. The requirements included performance, light weight, and resistance to temperature. Using aluminum alloys 6082 and 7075, CRP Meccanica CNC machined the part with its 5-axis production systems. The central part, which was the largest, originally had a pass-through window to allow the motor to be positioned inside. Each side was a half shell, and one of the two halves held the gearing housing, sealed in with a cover. The other half housed the pinion and oil pan.


“This phase has been completed in a short time,” the technicians stated. “CRP supported us very much, and we did not have any problem with the component, both during the bench tests and the assembly on the motorcycle: the tolerances required were very complicated and tight, as the project included two rows of bearings (those on the motor, plus the outer ones to support the output shaft). Later, we were able to validate the road-going prototype.”

The next phase involved the realization of models for pre-series. The component was manufactured using traditional sand casting, with the same alloy used in the metal prototyping phase. The production of the part was truly a team effort – between Energica and CRP, and between three different technologies that worked together to produce a strong, lightweight and high-performing component.

Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.

[Images: CRP Group]

 

Posted on

CRP expands applications for SLS Windform 3D printing materials

CRP Group, an Italian industrial group integrating additive manufacturing processes and innovative materials for product development, has expanded its Windform composite materials line for applications within advanced sectors such as aerospace, automotive and motorsport, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Offering a wide range of polyamide-based glass and carbon fiber reinforced materials for SLS 3D printing, […]