Arc 3D Printed Stainless Steel Bicycle Uses Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing Method to Produce The Frame

Arc 3D printed bicycle has been designed by a student team from TU Delft, it is fully functional 3D printed stainless steel bike. These students designed the frame of the bike to show you the potential of MX3D method for 3D printing metal. Well, the goal has been achieved, this 3-month project has resulted in a fully working bike. The bicycle frame was printed in collaboration with MX3D engineers in Amsterdam.

This bike was designed as part of a research project at the AMS Building Fieldlab into the viability of WAAM, Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing, a 3D printing technique based on MIG welding. Well 3D printing has gained popularity in the last few years but for those who want to print medium to large scale objects, they still have to deal with significant limitations in the technology. The method used in this project makes it possible to produce medium to large-scale metal objects with almost total form freedom. The students also prove the frame’s strength by riding the bike around the city, even on bumpy cobblestone streets of the city, the bike still performs really well.
The team explains that the printing process used to produce this frame is known as Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). This method allows for multi axis 3d printing using articulated robot arms, in this way, you can print larger objects that other type of 3d metal printing. The bike prototype weighs just the same as a normal steel bike, but it can be optimized a lot more. However, the main focus here is the frame strength, therefore, a bit lightness is sacrifice to make the bike extra strong.

Designer: MX3D