French Motorcycle Manufacturers Create Innovative Mini Bike with 3D Printed Metal

Last week, TheFabricator.com reported a 3D printing success story about VIBA, a French motorcycle manufacturer. VIBA wanted to make a limited-edition mini bike in homage to the iconic Honda Monkey, which they decided to call “Jane.”

The team faced one problem, however; they wanted to make the Jane in a run of just 23 bikes. Such a small manufacturing volume meant that the machined metal parts typically used in motorcycle manufacturing would be prohibitively expensive.

The solution to their problem came in the form of 3D printed metal. Not only did the 3D printed metal parts cost substantially less per unit than their traditionally manufactured alternatives, but they also did not require any tooling, molds or lead times. The combined cost and time benefits of 3D metal printing allowed VIBA to produce a fun and innovative homage to a cult favorite that would otherwise have been impossible to manufacture.

In addition, the versatility offered by 3D printing allowed the VIBA team to take a novel approach to designing the Jane. Because 3D printers can create complex geometries that would not be possible to machine, designers were able to combine multi-piece assemblies into single parts, like the Jane’s combination mudguard/headlight support. They were also able to create hollow levers which allow wiring for signal lights to pass through.

Perhaps the most exciting part of VIBA’s Jane is the 3D printed aluminum gas tank, which has a unique internal honeycomb design  To begin with, this lightweight design is printed in a single piece and eliminates the welding required by traditional gas tanks.

But it’s the functional benefits to riders that really set this gas tank apart. By breaking up the interior space of the gas tank, the honeycomb structure prevents gas from sloshing back and forth as the bike jostles around, keeping the bike more balanced and creating a smoother ride.

VIBA’s story is a great example of how 3D printing can provide businesses with cost-effective and innovative design solutions. At RapidMade, we are dedicated to helping our customers achieve their manufacturing goals using the most advanced technologies on the market. Click here to learn more about our 3D printing services.

Congratulations to VIBA on making such an exciting product!

3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing) is a Family of Technologies

When we talk about 3D printing, it is a catch-all phrase that encompasses several distinct technologies, each with its own strengths.  Here are some comparisons of additive manufacturing options in plastic, metal and composites:

3D Printed Plastics

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

Learn more about FDM

Standard Materials: ABS

Relative Cost: ★★☆☆☆

Machine Finish: ★★☆☆☆

ABS Prime Finish: ★★★★★

Typical Lead Time:  2-5 Business Days

Specialty Materials: PC, nylon, ULTEM and many more (See FDM page)

Relative Cost: ★★★★☆

Machine Finish: ★★☆☆☆

Typical Lead Time: 3-7 Business Days

FDM Pros: Very high accuracy on large parts, diverse materials, rigid and tough, fast turnaround, sparse fill for light weight with high part volumes

FDM Cons: Striated machine finish, low resolution on features under 0.030"

Polyjet (Objet) Printing

Learn more about Polyjet

Standard Materials: Acrylic and polypropylene-like

Relative Cost: ★★★☆☆

Machine Finish: ★★★★★

Typical Lead Time:  2-5 Business Days

Specialty Materials: ABS-like, various elastomers and digital materials (See Polyjet Page)

Relative Cost: ★★★★☆

Machine Finish: ★★★★★

Typical Lead Time: 3-7 Business Days

Polyjet Pros: Top quality detail, best surface finish, clear material option, embedded textures, fine features, single piece mechanical assemblies

Polyjet Cons: Resins - not industrial thermoplastics, lower heat resistance, better for smaller parts

Selective Laser SIntering (SLS)

Learn more about SLS

Standard Materials: Nylon and glass filled nylon

Relative Cost*: ★★★☆☆

Machine Finish: ★★★☆☆

Typical Lead Time:  5-10 Business Days

Specialty Materials: Rubber (TPU), carbon filled nylon and other composites (See SLS page)

Relative Cost: ★★★★☆

Machine Finish: ★★★☆☆

Typical Lead Time: 5-10 Business Days

SLS Pros: Real thermoplastic and thermoplastic composites, uniform matte finish, great thermal and mechanical properties

SLS Cons: Large and thick parts can warp, longer production lead times, porous material, low resolution on features under 0.030"

*In volume SLS can become one of the least expensive printing processes.

Large Format 3D Printing

Learn More about Large Format 3D Printing

Standard Materials: Epoxy infused Acrylic

Relative Cost*: ★★★☆☆

Machine Finish: ★★★☆☆

Typical Lead Time:  5-10 Business Days

Specialty Materials: Sand (Sand Casting), Low Ash Burnout Resin (Investment Casting)

Relative Cost: ★★★☆☆

Machine Finish: ★★★☆☆

Typical Lead Time: 5-10 Business Days

Large Format Pros: Largest build size of any 3D printers, cost effective for large parts, casting patterns and molds without any additional tooling

Large Format Cons: Not as durable as SLS or FDM, not intended for small objects, longer production lead times compared to smaller printers

3D Printed Metals

Note: 3D printed metals tend to be 5 to 10 times the cost of 3D printed plastics and are often more expensive than machined metals.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

Learn more about DMLS

Standard Materials: Aluminum, stainless steel, tool steel and titanium

Relative Cost: ★★★★★

Machine Finish: ★★☆☆☆

Typical Lead Time:  5-15 Business Days

Specialty Materials: Cobalt chrome, inconel, (nickel alloy) and more (See DMLS page)

Relative Cost: ★★★★★

Machine Finish: ★★★☆☆

Typical Lead Time: 5-15 Business Days

DMLS Pros: Stronger than cast parts, works with exotic and expensive to machine metals, can make parts that are otherwise not manufacturable

DMLS Cons: Limited part size (generally under 10"), rough finish, lower tolerance than machining, generally more expensive than machining

Printed Metal

Learn more about Printed Metal

Standard Materials: Stainless steel bronze alloy

Relative Cost: ★★★★☆

Machine Finish: ★★☆☆☆

Typical Lead Time:  10-20 Business Days

Specialty Materials: None

Relative Cost: N/A

Machine Finish: N/A

Typical Lead Time: N/A

Printed Metal Pros: Half to a third the cost of typical DMLS parts, beautiful bronze polish look, easily plated, larger bed than DMLS

Printed Metal Cons: Single available material, low strength to weight ratio for metal, long lead time relative to other 3D technologies

3D Printed Composites

Colorjet Full Color Composite

Learn more about Colorjet

Standard Materials: Full color composite

Relative Cost: ★☆☆☆☆

Machine Finish: ★★★☆☆

Typical Lead Time:  2-5 Business Days

Specialty Materials: None

Relative Cost: N/A

Machine Finish: N/A

Typical Lead Time: N/A

Full Color Composite Pros: Full gradient of 390,000 colors, generally least expensive material, fastest way to make large models, very rigid

Full Color Composite Cons: Features thinner than 0.100" can be brittle, does not have the flex of real plastic

Sieving Station Promotes "Cleaner" Metal Powder for 3D Printing

SIEVGEN 400-US:  Photo Credit - Farleygreene

When I worked for Nabisco, we had large robust sieves that would prepare flour being drawn from our 7-story flour towers prior to discharging into the weigh scales and mixers - several hundred pounds each batch.  The contraptions looked like very large metal boxes that shook and rotated violently to sieve the flour.  So it makes sense to me that a similar process would be recommended to pre-treat metal powders before being sintered into a 3D print.

In fact, a couple of challenges using powders in manufacturing processes are material purity and particle size. Apparently Farleygreene has introduced its SIEVGEN 400-US specifically to address these concerns for DMLS additive manufacturing.

“According to Farleygreene, when in normal use the system provides for a completely sealed and dust tight process. The feed hopper is docked into place to feed the sieve unit with a self-sealing interface and the media is introduced through an internal metering device designed to ensure the optimum screen dwell time to recover as much useable material as possible.

Oversize powder is continuously removed and ‘good’ product falls through the ultrasonically excited mesh. The screened media is filled into a receptacle locked into place on a mobile dolly to reduce manual handling as much as possible and allow the operator to move the product to where it is required.”

When you are hitting a potentially explosive metal powder with a laser, powder consistency and purity are obviously important material attributes to control.