Just lately, Vivid Laser Applied sciences (BLT), a Chinese language 3D printer producer, collaborated with HeyGears, a digital purposes supplier, to retrofit a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG sports activities automotive. Following a profitable trial run, the refitted automobile was delivered to the shopper.
Upon endeavor the retrofit project, BLT and HeyGears commenced with an analysis of the automotive’s elements. The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG sports activities automotive, which was in manufacturing from 2010 to 2015, offered a singular problem. Most of the parts, spare elements, and equipment wanted for the retrofit had been discontinued – bringing the method to a standstill.
Nonetheless, the arrival of steel 3D printing know-how offered a viable answer to this roadblock. To greatest fulfill the shopper’s retrofit specs, HeyGears determined to leverage this know-how. They developed a lighter and stronger ‘2.0 model of OEM elements’, together with distinctive designs tailor-made to the shopper’s preferences – successfully merging creativity and traditional aesthetics. In the end, the collaborative groups agreed to make the most of steel 3D printing for the automotive’s left and proper exhaust shrouds, gear deal with, and paddle shift.
As a way to fulfill the shopper’s necessities for aerodynamic exhaust shrouds and high-grade shopper look, HeyGears engineered a novel design for the exhaust shroud. The product, that includes a slim (0.8mm) and light-weight (316g) design, contains a streamlined, specially-shaped floor and a hole construction. The twin turbine construction conceptualized by HeyGears for the exhaust shroud will not be solely inventive and light-weight but additionally efficient in insulating the high-temperature exhaust gases, thereby stopping deformation and carbonization of the carbon fiber rear lip as a consequence of excessive temperatures.
In alignment with the AM course of traits and the shopper’s product efficiency necessities, BLT optimized the product mannequin. A devoted help construction and a course of package deal have been designed by BLT to make sure secure and dependable product formation, in addition to simple post-processing. This successfully addressed the deformation challenge related to thin-walled, specially-shaped titanium alloy elements. The printed half met an general dimensional tolerance inside ±0.5mm and exhibited a uniform floor, thereby satisfying the shopper’s meeting, usability, and consumer-grade look necessities.
In the course of the printing of the exhaust shrouds, BLT utilized their BLT-S400 tri-laser machine, provided that the general construct dimension of the left and proper exhaust shrouds intently resembled a rectangle. Exhibited on the thirteenth China Worldwide Aviation and Aerospace Expo, this machine is extra suited to rectangular construct dimensions and provides a manufacturing effectivity 34% increased than that of the BLT-S400 dual-laser machine.
The aluminum alloy gear deal with and paddle shift have been printed utilizing the BLT-S310. This traditional mannequin, which has earned Airbus certification, is flexible and dependable, able to producing high-quality elements throughout numerous fields.
Following the printing course of, the elements have been forwarded to HeyGears for the following stage of labor. The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG sports activities automotive, now proudly displaying the inscription “Legend by no means dies”, has been delivered to its proprietor, able to proceed the narrative of velocity and traditional design.
