Arash Motor Company, a UK-based manufacturer of bespoke hypercars, has announced the use ofStratasys公司subsidiaryMakerbot的3D printing technology to produce end-use components for its cars.
Founded over 20 years ago by Arash Farboud, who is now the Lead Designer, Arash Motor Company primarily manufactures high-performance vehicles in very low volumes. Despite sporting a modest team of employees, the firm already offers several of its own proprietary models, including theAF8Cassini sports car andAF10electric-petrol hybrid.
As a long-time advocate for additive manufacturing, Farboud’s production facility currently houses the MakerBot Replicator 2, Replicator Z18, andMETHOD X 3D printers. The company recently embarked on its latest project, a new electric hypercar, and is using all three 3D printers in the prototyping and production stages. The car reportedly features a carbon motor cartridge, multiple electric motors, a high-capacity battery pack, and an aerodynamic design.
Farboud explains, “We are still using every 3D printer that we own because they still work really well. They have an ability to make parts dependent on size and their usage. In fact, the METHOD X and Z18 are currently being used nonstop at our facility. This allows us to not only produce parts as needed, but we can experiment with different filaments. It’s a 24/7 operation for 3D printing.”
A route to cost and time savings
在投资Makerbot之前，Arash团队将在铝制上制作所有零件，从而经历了一次非常耗时的弯曲，焊接过程，并一次构成了一个组件。当最终用途生产的时间到来时，该公司还将雇用使用传统制造技术的第三方制造商，再次导致成本高昂和较长的交货时间。
现在，Arash只是将其CAD文件发送到其Makerbot 3D打印机之一，大幅削减了成本并削减了制造时间。雷电竞app下载实际上，该公司最近的项目之一从设计最终确定到仅12个月的全尺寸生产，这一过程通常需要几年。
“The MakerBot 3D printer series reduces the time from a file on the computer screen to prototyping and checking for touch and feel. That’s a big thing. Sometimes you miss a hole or a fixture, but you can catch that on a CAD model. Then after it’s printed, you can physically check it,” Farboud adds.
3 d打印技术和电动超级跑车
最新项目最初是从复制器2上打印的全尺度，非功能模型3D开始的。然后，团队使用复制器Z18原型进行了电动机内部底盘和电动机的空气动力结构。这包括新的悬架和机翼设计，以及一组轮毂和中心锁装配。
Finally, Arash turned to the MakerBot METHOD X to 3D print the final production parts to be used on the car itself, using filaments such as nylon carbon fiber and ABS. Specifically, nylon 12 carbon fiber was used for a number of structural parts that would be put under load, including bracketry, fasting points, and fixing points. On the other hand, ABS was used to 3D print non-critical interior surfaces due to its ease-of-use.
Farboud concludes, “We’re trying to get at least 95% of the car in a composite material, and we’re also trying to reduce the complexity of manufacturing to 3D printing. We’re only focusing on the parts that really matter in composite manufacturing – chassis, body panels, some interior structures.”
The Arash team has expressed plans to continue using MakerBot 3D printing technology to produce end-use automotive parts in the future.
Additive manufacturing in the automotive sector is commonplace at this point, with the majority of major OEMs turning to the technology for one application or another. Earlier this month, car manufacturer日产started using 3D printing technology developed byBCN3D加强automotive production lines in Spain. It was revealed that the company’s Barcelona factory now features IDEX FFF technology, with parts such as tools, jigs, fixtures, and functional prototypes being 3D printed.
Elsewhere, German car manufacturerVolkswagenrecently announced plans to usebinder jet 3D printing to manufacture componentsat its main plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. Interestingly, this is reportedly the first instance of a car maker adopting binder jetting in its production process at all.
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Featured image shows Arash’s upcoming electric hypercar. Photo via Arash Motor Company.
