Customer case study – Using 3D Printing to Make Heat Resistant End Use Parts and Spares for Motorsport
Andrea Pirazzini has been riding motorcycles since 2012. He has been using 3D printing since he started. Pirazzini uses 3D printing to create small pieces for his motorbike, recently he began printing functional performance parts.
CHALLENGE:
Andrea Pirazzini is both a motorbike rider and a 3D printing professional. He wanted to challenge himself to design a functional and safe 3D-printed intake manifold. Pirazzini had tried using FDM technology but his print result was not what he hoped for. The FDM part was not air-tight and compromised the engine’s function.
SOLUTION:
The new design was printed with the Form 3 using Rigid 10K Resin. The manifold was printed at a 100-micron layer height which then created a smooth surface without visible layer lines. To finish the part Pirazzini used classic sandpaper to smooth the surface. Unlike FDM, SLA printing creates solid and waterproof parts.
RESULTS:
The manifold printed on the Form 3 has withstood high and low temperatures and is still mounted to Pirazzini’s bike. The use of a thermal camera allowed Pirazzini to discover that Rigid 10K offered better thermal performance. The 3D printed manifold succeeded and made an improvement to the function of the engine. Based on the improvements Pirazzini made to the design the engine had more horsepower.
Are you interested in how 3D printing helps in the automotive sector? Request a sample or contact us today for a chat and learn how additive manufacturing is transforming automotive industry workflows and how you can integrate 3D printing into your automotive business.
You can call us on 01765 694 007, send us an email at team@additive-x.com or book a discovery call with our Formlabs specialists Elaine Rutledge or Tammy O’Neill.
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