Dec 26, 2018 | By Cameron
In only a few years, nearly all vehicles will include 3D printed components. This is evidenced by the growing number of automotive manufacturing companies already using additive methods as well as those in the research and development phase of incorporating 3D printing into their supply chains and assembly lines. French supercar manufacturer Bugatti is quickly transitioning from the latter group to the former, and they recently released video footage demonstrating their brutal stress test of a 3D printed brake caliper intended to go on the Chiron.
The Bugatti Chiron is powered by an 8-liter 16-cylinder quad-turbo engine that produces 1,500 horsepower and can propel the car to a top-end speed of 261 mph. Needless to say, it’s important that drivers be able to effectively stop from that speed even if they will literally never ever drive it that fast in their life. So Bugatti doesn’t slack on stress testing any of their components; they took the 6.4 pound 3D printed titanium caliper to over 250 mph and stopped repeatedly, producing temperatures over 1,800°F that actually set the disc on fire. But the caliper held true, which is saying a lot considering it weighs about half as much as the current calipers on the Chiron.
Using the same 3D printing technology as what was used to produce the HRE3D+ 3D printed titanium wheels, the caliper is sintered from a metal powder with powerful lasers. The 3D printing takes 45 hours, and the part then undergoes chemical and annealing heat treatments that strengthen it. But enough of the technical mumbo-jumbo. Enjoy the fireworks show.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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