The latest 3D printing info concerns
the first bicycle made of titanium parts created with the additive
manufacturing process. There are a number of advantages to using 3D
printed parts that followers of the emerging technology will recognize.
First, using 3D printing allows the manufacturer to create bicycles with greater complexity that has hitherto been the case. This allows greater innovation in bicycle design, creating models that are lighter and more durable that has been possible before. These sorts of bicycles will be easier to ride, not to mention carrying up stairs and onto public transportation that accommodates bicycles.
Second, the additive manufacturing process uses less material than more conventional machining of parts. Machining parts of any material wastes a lot of the material. This is the key because titanium, while a fairly abundant material, is expensive because it is hard to extract and hard to process. While 3D printing does not address the extraction costs, it does lower the cost of processing the material and making parts out of it.
Despite its expense titanium is one of the preferred materials for making quite a few items, including bicycle, because of its elongation, tensile, and fatigue strength. The ability to 3D print parts out of titanium will likely affect a great number of industries besides bicycle manufacturing, especially the aerospace industry.
While the prototypes of 3D printed bicycles have been created, production versions are likely to be high end, running as much as $2,000 per copy. Even as the process matures and costs go down, the bicycles are likely to remain relatively expensive.
First, using 3D printing allows the manufacturer to create bicycles with greater complexity that has hitherto been the case. This allows greater innovation in bicycle design, creating models that are lighter and more durable that has been possible before. These sorts of bicycles will be easier to ride, not to mention carrying up stairs and onto public transportation that accommodates bicycles.
Second, the additive manufacturing process uses less material than more conventional machining of parts. Machining parts of any material wastes a lot of the material. This is the key because titanium, while a fairly abundant material, is expensive because it is hard to extract and hard to process. While 3D printing does not address the extraction costs, it does lower the cost of processing the material and making parts out of it.
Despite its expense titanium is one of the preferred materials for making quite a few items, including bicycle, because of its elongation, tensile, and fatigue strength. The ability to 3D print parts out of titanium will likely affect a great number of industries besides bicycle manufacturing, especially the aerospace industry.
While the prototypes of 3D printed bicycles have been created, production versions are likely to be high end, running as much as $2,000 per copy. Even as the process matures and costs go down, the bicycles are likely to remain relatively expensive.
