Design freedom for engineers

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is fast becoming the method of choice for automotive designers and F1 racing teams, enabling them to get ahead of their competition and be first across the finishing line. Both plastic and metal AM can produce parts that are unachievable by traditional manufacturing techniques. For one-off prototype parts to end-use production components, and pretty much anything in between, engineers are being inspired to design parts specifically for the AM process, freeing them up from previous design constraints.

Lightweight high performance parts

We manufacture lightweight, safety critical, metal parts. Parts we have built have been on cars in every F1 race during 2011. Despite being lightweight, the parts are also strong and durable, meaning they can be used in extreme environments.

To illustrate the opportunities for lightweight, high performance parts, we have produced a Concept Heat Exchanger (pictured above). Built using Within Enhance software, we've been able to optimise the internal structures and skin thickness resulting in excellent performance, weight reduction and functional strength where needed. Inside each tube of the heat exchanger are cleverly designed struts (turbulators) which create an increase in the internal surface area to maximise the disruption of the flow of liquid, resulting in maximising the heat transferred. Such shapes would be impossible by any production method other than Additive Manufacturing. The full Case Study can be read here.

The hydraulic manifold pictured here demonstrates how a lightweight part can be achieved by incorporating smoothly curved bifurcated tubes into its design. The resulting part is 40% of the weight had it been manufactured as a solid component, but it's retained its strength and functionality.

Larger parts in a range of materials

The motor racing sector has been key to driving our decision to invest in the UK's first EOSINT M 280 machine. As well as allowing us to produce larger parts faster, it also gives us the potential to produce parts in Aluminium which we know to be of interest to the F1 world who constantly strive to make tough yet lighter parts. Together with Inconel and Titanium, we offer a wide range of metals, full details of which can be found here.

From design to delivered part in just a few days

With automotive engineers frequently working to incredibly tight deadlines, another benefit of using Additive Manufacturing is speed of delivery. In the fast moving world of F1 racing, a part can be designed, built and tested in just a matter of days, with new iterations being generated one day and the part being on the car in time for the race at the weekend. And this doesn't just relate to metal parts – the benefits are just as easily achievable using plastic AM techniques.

Plastic AM offers large parts with similar benefits

Many of the most successful teams on the track use plastic AM for form, fit and function testing and as final parts on the cars on race day.

The process allows designers to design parts to fit the available space and this feature has been exploited by teams who have produced parts for ducting, brackets and clips in both nylon and glass filled nylon.

As well as small parts that fit in to the tightest spaces, this season we have produced larger parts including a part that was over 2m long. Such pieces can be used, for example, for wind tunnel testing or engine trial fits. Although 2m is bigger than our build chamber, our finishing team has the skills to hand finish parts, including welding pieces together for larger parts, which further stretches the boundaries of what AM can achieve.

As well as many motorsport teams, we work with a number of Formula Student racing teams producing parts in Nylon, giving them the same benefits in terms of weight reduction, complexity, durability and speed. The Oxford Brookes team designed intricate housings around internal components to fit precisely onto the race car, minimising the overall weight and thereby improving its performance, whilst reducing the number of parts on the car.

With some of the world's largest plastic AM machines we can supply parts in a single piece, thereby enhancing their strength and reducing the need for post-assembly. This was recently demonstrated by the world's first plane built using plastic AM – in collaboration with the University of Southampton the unmanned aircraft went from drawing board to first flight in little more than a month.

Want to find out more?

If you would like to talk to one of our metal or plastic AM specialists about your needs and how we can work with you, please email us or call us on +44 (0)1635 580284 and ask to speak to a member of the Projects Team.