3D printing for extreme tuning, thoughts?

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andreszucs
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by andreszucs

Thought I'd start this thread for us to share some ideas, solutions and news on 3D printing directed for cycling. Especially now that 3D printing with carbon fiber and TI is a reality, I see some really exciting times not only for the industry but also for the creative minds and people who can afford to have the printer at home and some knowledge on 3D modeling. I can see that 'derailleur specific' part been printed in carbon, shifters, levers and so on! Lets get light like never before!
(In advance...I'm NOT associated with any company related)

mjduct
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by mjduct

So you are thinking of starting with a block of carbon and trying to make like a lever out of it? How would that be better than the layered weave of the current campagnolo levers? I would think that built levers would be lighter and stronger than milled ones where you are cutting through many layers of carbon...

Just my thoughts, now Ti or Al would be a different story. You could mass produce Swiss cheese deraileur arms like some of the guys here have spent 100s of hours with a dremel to mod one ofs themselves.


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53x12
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by 53x12

mjduct it doesn't cut through carbon fiber. It lays it. It is a game changer IMO.

https://markforged.com
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andreszucs
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by andreszucs

Still a big question on the real capabilities of these printers. I'm curious to see more details and some more example parts coming from markforged. The amazing thing about this company is the price point for the printer...its very affordable comparing to others. There is other companies printing in carbon graphite
- http://www.graphite.uk.com/services/247-2
- http://www.arevolabs.com/

xena
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by xena

This is very exciting. It does depend on the cost and is it going to be worth it. Say for instance you got a stem made or some bars you don't have any idea of how they will perform. It will be great for smaller parts I am just trying to get a couple of Carbon downtube shfiters made like BTP used to. This would be easy with a printer.
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eric
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by eric

What I don't see the CF 3d printers doing is layup. Even a lever needs to have its carbon fibers oriented right, if it's to be light.

But you could use a 3d printer to make molds for CF parts and do the layup by hand.

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andreszucs
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by andreszucs

Not long time ago I saw the very first company using carbon, but was a carbon compound...not fiber, so the strength wasn't that much better than PLA or similar.
Now with the Markforged for example, there is the actual fiber direction giving the proper strength to the structure. I only see a benefit to the technology if its a simple process 1-Design/2-Print/3-Sand. If the goal is to use the tech to print the molds wouldn't be that much of advantage because of all the next steps to be done afterwords and if that was the case, these molds can be done by using other materials then carbon.

FilmAt11
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by FilmAt11

This is a video of an automated tape laying (ATL) machine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehfCEz_OfDU

Here's a link to an overview information on ATL and automated fiber placement (AFP) techniques:

http://www.compositesworld.com/knowledg ... L-Software

Interesting stuff, but I don't know how applicable this is to smaller parts or complex shapes.

genesis692
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by genesis692

eric wrote:But you could use a 3d printer to make molds for CF parts and do the layup by hand.


Kind of. They wouldn't be very good.

If you *really* wanted to make carbon parts you'd still be better off just buying a small CNC router and doing it the old fashioned way.

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andreszucs
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by andreszucs

FilmAt11 wrote:This is a video of an automated tape laying (ATL) machine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehfCEz_OfDU

Here's a link to an overview information on ATL and automated fiber placement (AFP) techniques:

http://www.compositesworld.com/knowledg ... L-Software

Interesting stuff, but I don't know how applicable this is to smaller parts or complex shapes.


First time seen this, interesting method...perhaps to make an entire frame? ..but not affordable

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andreszucs
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by andreszucs

genesis692 wrote:
eric wrote:But you could use a 3d printer to make molds for CF parts and do the layup by hand.


Kind of. They wouldn't be very good.

If you *really* wanted to make carbon parts you'd still be better off just buying a small CNC router and doing it the old fashioned way.


Stratasys works with this material for injection molding:
http://www.stratasys.com/applications/m ... on-molding

But that would be for the well stablished companies.

davidalone
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by davidalone

I could see it being done for small, non critical parts. probably not for important stuff.

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andreszucs
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by andreszucs

Printed parts are getting smaller and stronger: I think these are Polymer Parts:
Image

Here are some examples of 3D printing capabilities:

4.9kg fixed-gear, all the gold parts were printed - site: http://www.ralfholleis.com/VRZ-2
Image

Full MTB frame printed:
Image

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andreszucs
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by andreszucs

Here is an example of the 3D printing tech helping us:
http://www.shapeways.com/model/1221713/ ... emarketing

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andreszucs
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by andreszucs

Another one: 3D Printed titanium mountain bike brake levers.
http://www.mediacopy.co.uk/gallery/3D%2 ... tanium.jpg

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