Schlagwort: Automotive

Humanetics is 3D Printing Crash Test Dummies That Resemble Elderly People

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: 3 minutes
The crash test dummy manufacturer Humanetics is using Markforged’s 3D printing technology and Onyx carbon-composite material to produce dummies the resemble elderly drivers, helping them accurately reflect injuries that could occur in a real car accident.

Car crash testing is an integral part of ensuring vehicle safety, and brave human-like dummies have been sacrificed to reflect the impact and injuries that actual drivers could sustain in an accident. However, until now, the selection of crash test dummies has been fairly limited in terms of resembling the gender and age of people. But that’s about to change as the crash test dummy manufacturer Humanetics has recently unveiled its first “elderly” crash dummy.

As the aging world population continues to grow driven by medical innovation and healthier lifestyle choices, many countries have noted an increase in older drivers. According to the US Census Bureau, there were more than 40 million licensed drivers over the age of 65 years in 2016. Given their fragile bones, elderly drivers are more likely to sustain bone and internal injuries when they crash.

Humanetics is using professional-grade 3D printing technology from Markforged in order to fulfill the often smaller quantity orders for specialist crash test dummies. Additive manufacturing offers a cost effective option to develop crash dummies that accurately reflect the elderly.

Mike Beebe, Chief Technical Officer at Humanetics, explained:

“It’s my job to look at the future. I’m always trying to figure out what new processes and materials we should develop going forward. One of the major discoveries we’ve made recently was that we could 3D print much of the elderly dummy. Now all of the components of the new elderly dummy, from the pelvis to the head assembly, are additively manufactured.”

President and CEO of Humanetics Christopher O’Connor being interviewed on this topic by Dr. Frank McGeorge. (Image: Humanetics)

Finding the right material and 3D printer

The team then set out to look for the right material to print the dummy. In initial testing the team found that rubber and plastic materials didn’t work well as the printed ribs began to crack after being tested just 20 times.

That’s when Humanetics decided to try out Markforged’s 3D printing technology and Onyx material. Onyx is a carbon-composite that is reinforced with Kevlar fibres, providing added stability, stiffness and high temperature tolerances. A test version using the carbon-composite withstood 60 to 70 impacts before visibly showing any damage. Even after 150 impacts, the Markforged 3D printed dummies remained intact.

Subsequently, Humanetics purchased a Markforged Mark Two 3D printer to print various parts of the dummies, including the ribs and skeleton. Although the cost of the carbon-composite material is close to the traditional steel used previously, a single rib can be printed in just 24 hours, ultimately reducing time and labor intensity.

In fact, the team at Humanetics has since found that additive manufacturing not only boosts their quality of their elderly crash dummies, but saves them 40-60% in assembly and labor costs. In the future, the company is planning to use 3D printing to produce and test internal organs. By developing products that accurately reflect the world’s population, car manufacturers will be able to use crash test results to build safer cars for everyone, young or old.

3D printed ribs by Humanetics. (Image: Humanetics)

Source: TCT Magazine/Humanetics

License: The text of „Humanetics is 3D Printing Crash Test Dummies That Resemble Elderly People“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Subscribe to updates from All3DP

You are subscribed to updates from All3DP

Website: LINK

23/05/2018
ETSEIB Motorsport Uses BCN3D Sigmax 3D Printer to Develop Racing Car for Formula Student Competition

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: 3 minutes
ETSEIB Motorsport, the automotive engineering team from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, is now using 3D printing from BCN3D to help develop racing car parts for the Formula Student competition.

Formula Student is a competition between students from universities worldwide with a focus on excellence in engineering. To enter the competition, teams are required to design, build, and test out their own formula-type racing car.

This year, ETSEIB Motorsport, an automotive team comprised of 40 industrial engineers from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, started incorporating 3D printing technology from the local 3D printer manufacturer BCN3D into their operations.

Unsurprisingly, they found that the technology sped up the design phase and produced end-use parts that could be mounted directly onto the car. Better yet, the initial investment into 3D printing was fully paid off in just the first few months of usage, primarily due to the savings the team made by using the technology.

Gerard Sabaté, the aerodynamics chief engineer for the team, explains that they chose the BCN3D Sigmax 3D printer to help save money and reduce lead times. The technology also helped the group of industrial engineers develop a streamlined workflow that is still being used in their day-to-day operations.

10 Years of Developing Formula-Type Racing Cars

ETSEIB Motorsport has been developing formula-type vehicles to race in the Formula Student competition for ten consecutive years. During the first four years, the team developed combustion cars, while the last six years have been spent focusing on electric cars.

By having a FDM desktop 3D printer in-house, the team has been able to cut out external suppliers and print overnight, helping to reduce iteration and validation times. This enables them to spend more time improving upon designs and developing new ideas.

The team explains that the 3D printed end-use parts used include cable ties and brake ducts. Additionally, they also developed molds to make pieces of carbon fiber. Sabaté adds that they settled on the BCN3D Sigmax 3D printer due to its large build-volume and the ability to print symmetrical pieces at the same time.

At the end of day, improving the efficiency and reducing the cost of developing a formula-type car is of no use if it doesn’t help the team win. But, according to the team’s aerodynamics chief engineer, they have seen immense success since adopting 3D printing in its development process.

“During this season we have gone to three competitions. Austria, Germany and Spain. We have obtained very satisfactory results in all of them, being among the top ten positions in all of them, and finally, obtaining the prize for the best Spainish team in the Barcelona competition at the Montmeló circuit,” says Sabaté.

Perhaps it’s because 3D printing provided that final push past the finish that every competing Formula Student team needs.

Source: Press Release

Website: LINK

19/05/2018
BMW Mini Commemorates Royal Wedding with Unique Car Design

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: 3 minutes
BMW has created a special-edition Mini to celebrate the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle. Boasting a hand-made graphic print and 3D printed details, the car will be auctioned off for charity.

What could be more British than a royal wedding? A one-of-a-kind Mini Cooper S with a bold graphic on the roof and a set of 3D printed details, that’s what.

Designed by an in-house team at BMW, the hot hatch will be donated to a charity chosen by Prince Harry and Megan Markle, The Children’s HIV Association, for public auction following the royal wedding on 19 May 2018.

“As an iconic British brand with almost 60 years of history in the UK, we are pleased to mark the royal wedding with this special charitable gift,” says Oliver Heilmer, who leads the Mini design team.

“Its specially designed roof graphic combines with 3D printed personalized interior and exterior details as well as special embroidery to make this a MINI like no other,” he enthuses.

A pale shade called Crystal White was chosen for the exterior of the car. A set of silver-blue stripes wrap the body, with a framing black outline featuring a metallic blue tint.

For the roof, the designers created an abstract pattern in shades of black, white, blue and red, meticulously applied by hand in several layers. It combines elements of the British Union Jack flag and the American Stars and Stripes flag, to represent the nationalities of the couple.

Royal Wedding Gets a Mini Makeover

Other details on the exterior include 3D printed signal indicators; these feature the initials “M” and “H” for Megan and Harry, plus a heart and ring symbols. When entering the car, the indicators project the words “Just Married” onto the ground in front of the driver and passenger doors.

Inside the car, the first names of the couple and the date of the wedding are featured on a 3D printed panel opposite the front passenger’s seat, while the leather sun visor is embossed with the words “love is…”

Accents of color from the roof graphic are integrated into the head restraints, the steering wheel and trim strips. On the head restraints, there is a Union Jack pattern on one side and a Stars and Stripes design on the other. The Union Jack can also be found on the rear lights when they are activated.

The big question is, who would wish to be seen driving such a car? Is it a charming memento of the special day? Or is it more of a tacky curiosity overstuffed with hideous embellishments? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: BMW Group

License: The text of „BMW Mini Commemorates Royal Wedding with Unique Car Design“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Subscribe to updates from All3DP

You are subscribed to updates from All3DP

Website: LINK

17/05/2018
GM and Autodesk Using Additive Manufacturing for Lighter Vehicles

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: 3 minutes
GM is using Autodesk’s generative design technology and additive manufacturing to fabricate lighter automotive parts; this seat bracket is 40% lighter and 20% stronger than its predecessor.

General Motors is using generative design software by Autodesk to develop the next generation of lightweight vehicles. According to the automaker, the new technology will be a key factor in developing more efficient, alternative-fuel cars with zero emissions.

GM is the first automaker in North America to use the software. It uses cloud computing and AI-based algorithms to rapidly explore multiple permutations of a part design; it can generate hundreds of high-performance, often organic-looking geometric design options based on goals and parameters set by the user.

These parameters can include weight, strength, material choice, fabrication method, and more. Once generated, the user can then select and 3D print the best option from the available part designs.

“This disruptive technology provides tremendous advancements in how we can design and develop components for our future vehicles to make them lighter and more efficient,” says GM Vice President Ken Kelzer, Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems.

“When we pair the design technology with manufacturing advancements such as 3D printing, our approach to vehicle development is completely transformed and is fundamentally different to co-create with the computer in ways we simply couldn’t have imagined before.”

The new design technology provides significantly more vehicle mass reduction and parts consolidation, the likes of which cannot be achieved through traditional design optimization.

GM and Autodesk engineers have applied this new technology to produce a proof-of-concept part. They’ve demonstrated a new seat bracket that is 40 percent lighter and 20 percent stronger than the original part. It also consolidates eight different components into one 3D printed part.

GM and Autodesk Entering Multi-year Alliance

GM has been a leading innovator in additive manufacturing for more than three decades. The automaker has one of the auto industry’s most comprehensive 3D printing capabilities in the world, with more than 50 rapid prototyping machines that have produced more than 250,000 prototype parts over the last decade.

Looking to the future in a multi-year alliance, GM and Autodesk will be collaborating on projects involving generative design, additive manufacturing, and materials science. Executives and engineers from both companies will participate in a series of onsite engagements to exchange ideas, learnings, and expertise.

“Generative design is the future of manufacturing, and GM is a pioneer in using it to lightweight their future vehicles,” says Scott Reese, Autodesk Senior Vice President for Manufacturing and Construction Products.

“Generative technologies fundamentally change how engineering work is done because the manufacturing process is built into design options from the start. GM engineers will be able to explore hundreds of ready-to-be-manufactured, high-performance design options faster than they were able to validate a single design the old way.”

Eliminating mass in parts where material is not required for performance — combined with parts consolidation — will bring many benefits for car owners. This includes the potential for more interior space, increased range, and enhanced vehicle performance. It also provides vehicle designers a canvas on which to explore designs and shapes like never before.

Source: Autodesk

License: The text of „GM and Autodesk Using Additive Manufacturing for Lighter Vehicles“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Subscribe to updates from All3DP

You are subscribed to updates from All3DP

Website: LINK

03/05/2018
Futuristic Metal 3D Printed Motorcycle Frame Teased by BMW

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: 3 minutes
Carmaker BMW showed a 3D printed motorcycle frame at their Digital Day 2018 in Munich, an S1000RR superbike with a frame and swing arm fabricated using metal powder laser melting.

Don’t Miss: BMW to Establish Additive Manufacturing Campus in Munich

Every year, the BMW Group hosts a Digital Day at their illustrious headquarters in Munich. It’s a platform for the automaker to showcase some of their latest and greatest developments in automotive technology.

Front and center to these innovations, naturally, is additive manufacturing. The group is already using 3D printing to produce car parts, but the presence of a radical 3D printed motorcycle frame this year showed that the technology still has plenty of road to run.

The S1000RR superbike features a 3D printed aluminium chassis and swingarm. Details on the precise construction method used on the superbike are not provided, but it’s a safe bet that it’s metal powder laser melting.

This is a process where a laser fuses layers of metal powder in a vat to form a shape, layer by layer. BMW is already using this technique for their cars to produce lighter but structurally stiffer components.

3D Printed Motorcycle Frame is Showpiece of Digital Day 2018

Beyond the eye-candy of a 3D printed motorcycle frame, the BMW Group also drew attention to other areas of their 3D printing activities.

An additively manufactured water pump wheel was fitted in DTM racing cars for the first time back in 2010. And the new BMW i8 Roadster features a soft-top cover with an aluminium bracket made using a metal powder laser melting technique.

Elsewhere, the new MINI Yours Customized product line enables customers to personalize the design of selected components and then have them produced via 3D printing.

Last but not least, there’s the grand opening of the Additive Manufacturing Campus at the BMW Group Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ) in Munich in Spring 2019.

Overall, the advantages to the BMW Group are clear; 3D printing provides them with the ability to custom-build highly-complex objects. That, and they can rapidly prototype new components quickly and cheaply. Indeed, the automaker says that it’s already producing over 140,000 prototype parts per year.

Source: BMW Group

License: The text of „Futuristic Metal 3D Printed Motorcycle Frame Teased by BMW“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Subscribe to updates from All3DP

You are subscribed to updates from All3DP

Website: LINK

30/04/2018
BMW to Establish Additive Manufacturing Campus in Munich

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: 4 minutes
With a total investment worth over €10 million, automotive giant BMW will open an industrial scale 3D printing campus in Munich, Germany in early 2019.

The BMW Group is investing more than €10 million in a new Additive Manufacturing Campus. Located in Oberschleissheim, just north of Munich, the facility will ensure the carmaker continues developing its expertise in industrial 3D printing.

Within the BMW Group production network, the new Additive Manufacturing Campus will foster the latest technologies in much the same way as a “pilot plant” and make them available for use within the network.

Much of the work carried out will focus on parts manufacturing for prototype construction, series production and customized solutions. The Additive Manufacturing Campus will also act as an interdisciplinary training and project area.

“Our new Additive Manufacturing Campus will concentrate the full spectrum of the BMW Group’s 3D printing expertise at a single location,” says Udo Hänle, Head of Production Integration and Pilot Plant at BMW.

“This will allow us to test new technologies early on and continue developing our pioneering role.”

Located in an existing building with a footprint of over 6,000 square metres, the new centre will accommodate up to 80 associates and over 30 industrial systems for metals and plastics. It’s scheduled to open in Spring 2019.

First Carmaker to 3D Print Production Run of Several Thousand Metal Parts

3D printing is already an integral part of the BMW Group production system. Most recently it was leveraged to generate parts for the BMW i8 Roadster.

“With the BMW i8 Roadster, the BMW Group became the first carmaker to 3D print a production run of several thousand metal parts,” says Jens Ertel, Head of the BMW Group’s Additive Manufacturing Center and the future campus director.

The component is a fixture in the tonneau cover for the soft-top. Made of aluminum alloy, the printed item is lighter than the injection-moulded equivalent, but significantly stiffer. Its ‘bionic’ geometry, inspired by forms found in nature, was optimized for 3D printing.

Additive manufacturing is also gaining traction for custom componentry. The new MINI Yours customization programme allows customers to design certain components themselves, for example. Items like indicator inlays and dashboard trim strips can be 3D printed to their precise specifications.

The carmaker expects that, with time, it will become possible to produce components directly where they are ultimately needed. According to the company, this idea has tremendous potential to supplant existing production technologies.

“The 3D printers that are currently operating across our production network represent a first step towards local part production,” continues Ertel.

“We are already using additive manufacturing to make prototype components on location in Spartanburg (US), Shenyang (China) and Rayong (Thailand). Going forward, we could well imagine integrating it more fully into local production structures to allow small production runs, country-specific editions and customizable components – provided it represents a profitable solution.”

BMW Group Investing Heavily in Additive Manufacturing

Elsewhere, the BMW Group has also been busy investing in promising 3D printing start-ups.

In September 2016, the carmaker’s venture capital arm, BMW i Ventures, invested in the Silicon Valley-based company Carbon, whose DLS (digital light synthesis) printing technology was a breakthrough in the production of parts with high-quality surfaces.

The technique allows significantly larger areas to be processed more rapidly than would otherwise be possible with conventional selective 3D printing. Carbon and the BMW Group have been partners since 2015.

Another investment in additive manufacturing came in February 2017, this time in the start-up Desktop Metal.

Desktop Metal specializes in the additive manufacturing of metal components and has developed highly productive and innovative methodologies. It now works closely with the Additive Manufacturing Centre at the BMW Group.

Source: Press Release

License: The text of „BMW to Establish Additive Manufacturing Campus in Munich“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Subscribe to updates from All3DP

You are subscribed to updates from All3DP

Website: LINK

16/04/2018
MINI Launches 3D Printing Service to Offer Customized Car Accessories

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: 3 minutes
The automotive company MINI has launched MINI Yours Customised, a new 3D printing service that will allow customers to design custom interior and exterior trim pieces and have them 3D printed for their car.

Many people believe that cars, much like dogs, tend to reflect the personality of the owner. The bubbly and bug-eyed MINI is certainly no exception to this rule.

This past week, the British automotive marque MINI launched MINI Yours Customised, a 3D printing service that will allow customers to design their own interior and exterior trim pieces and have them 3D printed.

There are a wide range of components to modify and choose from, including the side scuttles for the exterior turn signals, the passenger-side dash trim, LED aluminum door sills, and the LED door projector. MINI is utilizing 3D printing and laser cutting technology within its production facilities in Germany to deliver these unique, customized parts to customers.

The 3D printing service will allow customers to select, design, or upgrade parts from the new Online Shop. These parts take just a few weeks to be manufactured before they’re ready for the road.

“MINI Yours Customised” Puts Power of Customization into the Driver’s Hand

MINI Yours Customised offers a user-friendly customization tool that enables every customer to use their own creativity. Each design can be selected and configured before being sent off to the facility for production. For example, the customer can choose different colors, surface finishes, and patterns for their side scuttles and trims.

With the help of MINI’s parent company, BMW Group, the automotive marque has gotten its hands on some impressive 3D printing technology. This stems for various partnerships between BMW and the likes of Hewlett-Packard Inc., Carbon, and EOS GmbH. Laser cutting is also used to perform tasks such as etching the customer’s name into the door sill.

The new service from MINI also aims to develop a community of creative users who are sharing their designs on social media and inspiring others.

MINI Yours Customised also offers laser etching on certain parts.

“MINI is committed to digitalisation and innovative production procedures for realising individual customer wishes. Alongside the global web shop, a completely new distribution chain has been installed for direct sales to the customer. Equally, the 3D printing procedure has been specially tailored to the production of individual products in large numbers for the MINI Yours Customised package,” BMW Group stated.

Although the new 3D printing service is major news for the automotive industry, MINI’s latest use of the technology isn’t exactly shocking. Just last week, BMW released a number of 3D printable Christmas ornaments, while also sharing the different ways that additive manufacturing his pushed its own iconic automotive brand forward.

Source: BMW Group

Website: LINK

28/12/2017
Drive Into the Holiday Season With 3D Printable BMW Christmas Ornaments

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: 3 minutes
BMW celebrates the holiday season and 3D printing technology by releasing STL files of its iconic logo, the famous BMW Welt, a set of wheels, and more.

Of all the industries that have taken interest in advancing 3D printing technology, none seem as invested as the automotive sector. From rapid prototyping to small-run manufacturing, numerous car manufacturers have integrated 3D printing onto the production line.

One of the pioneers in this field is the German automotive manufacturer BMW. Not only has the company used 3D printing to showcase unique concepts and improve its production capabilities, it has also been on the forefront of various investment opportunities.

Over the past couples of years, BMW has provided funding to a few of the most highly anticipated 3D printing companies, including Carbon and Desktop Metal. Clearly, additive manufacturing is playing an increasing role in BMW’s ecosystem.

The automotive manufacturer recently shared a post detailing the ways that 3D printing has reshaped its prototyping and production. To show appreciation for this emerging technology, BMW is celebrating in the holiday season with 3D printable Christmas ornaments.

BMW Shares 3D Printable Ornaments for the Christmas Tree

As you can see, 3D printing is poised to have a major impact on the future of BMW’s manufacturing process. And so, the German automotive giant has shared a number of STL files for 3D printing and/or Beemer enthusiasts to print and hang on the Christmas tree.

Here’s what they’re offering:

BMW Welt

Based out in Munich, the BMW Welt is a famous multi-use exhibition center that sees over three million visitors a year.

BMW Wheel

Want to take that new 3D printer out for a spin? Well now you can do so with a set of BMW wheels. These double-spokes will look great hanging from your tree or even your car dashboard.

BMW Logo

Of course, nothing can beat the iconic BMW emblem. Now, it’s finally available for 3D printing, meaning you can showoff your Beemer fandom by printing and hanging this logo up for all to see.

The BMW Four-Cylinder

The Four-Cylinder building is the BMW headquarters, also located in Munich. This 101-meter-high landmark building was designed by architect Karl Schwanzer. Now, you can print it out at home and have a piece of BMW’s history with you at all times.

You can download all of the STL files from the BMW website. Find the STL files and learn more by clicking here.

Website: LINK

22/12/2017
Video: Death by 2JZ beats old age any day – This stunning, wide body, single turbo Toyota Supra is a gun metal grey bullet pushing 930hp. Will try and kill you on full boost!

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“What an insane day behind the wheel of Marcel’s stunning JDM Mk.4 Toyota Supra. As a street car this widebody, single turbo, and gun-metal grey bullet of an import is ready for just about anything to challenges it. With a 2JZ engine under the hood pushing 930 HP to the rear wheels, it’s basically a massive handful at full boost and is a bomb waiting to explode (in the best way possible, that is). These cars always get my adrenaline pumping like almost nothing else on the road, and Marcel’s build is easily one of my favourite big turbo cars i’ve ever driven!” – @roadsuntraveled

[embedded content]

CLICK THE LATEST STYLES BELOW AND SHOP NOW.

Monday, October 2nd, 2017 at 10:32 am

Website: LINK

02/10/2017
McLaren Automotiv entwirft den Rennwagen der Zukunft exklusiv für GT Sport

Facebook
Twitter

Reading Time: < 1 minute
zum Release am 18. Oktober präsentiert Gran Turismo Sport den neuesten GT Vision Rennwagen. In enger Zusammenarbeit mit McLaren entstand der Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo, der exklusiv für den Titel auf PlayStation 4 konzipiert wurde.

Der Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo zeigt das Designdenken der Zukunft – neben mehr als 1000 PS und einem aus Carbon gefertigten Chassis präsentiert das Konzept schon jetzt einen Ausblick auf kommende Technologien, die erst in Jahrzehnten in dieser Form auf dem Markt erscheinen. Dank präziser aerodynamischer Abstimmung und einem Gewicht von unter 1000kg begeistert der McLaren mit höchster Performance auf der Rennstrecke.

Spieler von Gran Turismo Sport können sich nicht nur auf eine atemberaubende Geschwindigkeit im Wagen freuen – durch die zentrale, nach vorne gerichtete Position des Fahrers entsteht ein bisher einzigartiges Gefühl, das Strecke und Kurven deutlich intensiver spürbar werden lässt.

Entstanden ist die Kooperation durch den Aufruf des Serienvaters Kazunori Yamauchi, der die Zukunftsvisionen der Autohersteller weltweit kennenlernen wollte.

Alle Informationen zum Vision Car gibt es auf dem offiziellen Blogpost.

21/09/2017