We’ve seen some big things with 3D printing, and surprisingly it has come not in composite materials or even plastics and resins, but in titanium. This shouldn’t be that surprising as titanium is actually refined from tiny grains rather than huge chunks.
However it works, Charge Bikes has now started testing 3D printed titanium sections of its frames. The company has reportedly collaborated with the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). Working at the Innovation Works, the corporate research center for EADS group, Charge is charging forward to produce the world’s first 3D printed titanium frame utilizing manufacturing components designed for the aerospace industry.
While the full Charge Bikes Freezer cyclocross bike wasn’t actually printed out in 3D, the bike is the first to have any part produced this way. Video after the jump
A father and son team is using 3D to produce new designs in bicycle components. Kappius Components went from prototype to production line when it switched from machining parts to the use of a 3D printer from German company EOS GmbH, and Harbec, a New York-based provider of 3D printing technology known as industrial additive manufacturing. Read the rest of this entry »
We knew 3D printing was going to change the world. We’ve seen 3D printed as a concept technology for shoes and even bike parts, but the gang at Signal Snowboards printed up a board. David Lee and the gang from Every Third Thursday used the latest in CAD drawing technology and a carbon-based powder to print up a board ready for the slopes.
We know – according to the movie Goldfinger – that a laser can cast a small point on the surface of the moon or cut through gold and nearly a 007 agent. A laser is an intense beam of light. The Nike Vapor Laser Talon is an intense running shoe that features a revolutionary 3D printed plate that can help football athletes perform at their absolute best. The shoe is a featherweight 5.6 ounces that can help players maintain their drive stance longer and even accelerate faster in the first 10 yards. This first shoe to utilize 3D printing technology can’t cut through gold however, but it can help wearers get the most out of every step.
From The New York Times: Riding the Wave of Surfer Fitness
To the casual spectator, surfing seems to involve primarily balance, grace, nervy insouciance and a certain laid-back, ineffable oneness with the powers of the deep. But a series of newly published studies of the actual physical demands of surfing reveal that other, sometimes surprising aspects of fitness may be as important to surfing success as the ability to judge and remain upright on a swell. Read the rest of this entry »
The Olympic Games don’t begin for over a week and already there is much controversy – not on the fields of competition but rather on what is covering the athletes. In the United States some lawmakers are upset that the attire to be worn by the U.S. Olympic Team was made in China.
Then there are the swim suits that will be worn in the pool – and could be a replay of the now-banned 2008 LZR Racer skinsuits. Likewise the golf ball inspired track suits are getting much attention. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the marvels of 3D printing is that it allows designers to make small modifications during the prototype stage. Even not so small changes can be accomplished as another model can be printed off.
Luc Fusaro used this technology to develop lightweight sprint shoes that are customizable for individual runners. Fusaro developed the shoes as his final master degree solo project at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, and it began with him scanning the feet of an athlete to create a digital 3D model. Read the rest of this entry »
When we think of “carbon copy” technology we think of the old days when carbon paper was used to make multiple copies of a document. This technology is still used (albeit less and less) with some rental agreements and other business contracts. However, when we think of “carbon copy” for bicycles, we tend to think of how a line of bikes all looks the same.
The truth is that all bikes are still somewhat made individually, even if the parts are more or less the same. No two bikes are truly “copies.” But British engineers Chris Turner and Andy Hawkins may have developed a bike that could very well be the first of a line of copies – bikes that are so much alike they could be considered clones! Their Airbike is made entirely of nylon – yes nylon – but it is supposedly as strong as steel. What is more interesting is that the bike has been created using a process called additive layer manufacturing (ALM). Read the rest of this entry »
We’ve seen some big things with 3D printing, and surprisingly it has come not in composite materials or even plastics and resins, but in titanium. This shouldn’t be that surprising as titanium is actually refined from tiny grains rather than huge chunks.
We know – according to the movie Goldfinger – that a laser can cast a small point on the surface of the moon or cut through gold and nearly a 007 agent. A laser is an intense beam of light. The Nike Vapor Laser Talon is an intense running shoe that features a revolutionary 3D printed plate that can help football athletes perform at their absolute best. The shoe is a featherweight 5.6 ounces that can help players maintain their drive stance longer and even accelerate faster in the first 10 yards. This first shoe to utilize 3D printing technology can’t cut through gold however, but it can help wearers get the most out of every step.
One of the marvels of 3D printing is that it allows designers to make small modifications during the prototype stage. Even not so small changes can be accomplished as another model can be printed off.
