The Delta Racing team from the Mannheim University of Applied Sciences in Germany and Eplus3D Tech GmbH, a manufacturer of industrial metal 3D printers, have partnered to use additive manufacturing technology to reduce costs and material consumption in the production of automotive components. Since 2012, the Delta Racing team together with about 60 students have been working on the concept of an electric racing car. Last year, some parts were printed by Eplus3D on the EP-M260 titanium and aluminum 3D printer for Delta Racing’s racing car, achieving a weight saving of 60%. This translates, among other things, into greater acceleration and handling of the car.
The front and rear distributors are necessary to transfer the forces from the wheel carrier to the spring/damper unit. Additive manufacturing gives the user more freedom to design a part for the same function while making it lighter. To achieve this, Delta Racing Team used the SKO (Soft Kill Option) method to identify all areas where the material is not needed. In high load areas, the E modulus is increased in the simulation, while in low load areas it is decreased. In summary, the software creates an E-module function for the stresses in different areas of the part.
For simulation, the following aspects need to be defined: identify the different angles and load cases and set the boundary and auxiliary conditions together with the system loads. The program then calculates the optimal manifold shape for all load cases. As a result, the factor of safety and force flow can be controlled.
For better results, the topology-optimized geometry generated should be improved. Various approaches can be taken at this stage. The Delta Racing team works with Solidworks to reconstruct shapes using curves, avoiding sharp and small corners. To verify the generated design, a mechanical structure analysis must be performed.
The automotive parts and accessories market is an important source of revenue for global car manufacturers. Thanks to 3D technology, it is possible to print parts with geometries that are difficult to produce using conventional methods, and it is also more cost-effective in the case of non-series production.
An example of this can be seen in the photo below. The rocker arm is used to connect the carbon tubes used in the suspension with each other and with other elements such as the distributor described above. Eplus3D supported the team in the production of parts using Ti6Al4V titanium alloy. In this case, Delta Racing can meet its design requirements, resulting in a win-win situation in terms of cost and weight. On average, the weight could be reduced by more than 50%, and the entire car could benefit from a weight reduction of around 3 kg.
The MPBF metal 3D printing technology not only allows the user to produce high-performance parts, but also improves the efficiency of the entire chain, from production time to part performance.
In this case, the delta racing team opted to print the switch in titanium alloy, saving more than 60% in weight. Parts weight has been reduced from 240g to 91g, which is around 600g less for a racing car. In addition, additive manufacturing gives the team maximum freedom in geometric design, and by using less materials, you can often even significantly reduce costs.
Source: Eplus3D press materials
