Research project: Topology optimised 3D printed Dual Sus

[Vetplant]

A Student at NMMU designed this topology optimised Bike Frame.

 

The Bike is just a rendering, whereas the white frame was printed in plastic.

 

The Frame will need to be printed in Titanium to have any feasibility, and then it won't come close to beating the weight of something like a Spez Epic SWorks.

 

Cool research project though.

[Vetplant]

Another example of 3D printing, this time in Alu for one of the guys at PYGA:

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/akhani-3d_proudlysouthafrican-pyga-beautifulengineering-activity-6601721688499507200-VURe

 

(Things are still trickling into the industry at this stage)

[dave303e]

there are a whole bunch of 3d printed bikes out already, I like the different take on it with the topology optimization though, really cool to see something totally left field. I love different bikes.

[Shebeen]

had to google this

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topology_optimization

[Vetplant]

had to google this

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topology_optimization

Another example for you to look at:

 

Hollow-tubed frame, printed in Titanium, weighing in at around 670g.

(Roughly 500mmx500mm in size)

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fionarichardson1_formnext-activity-6602880155784482816-kYbp

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alwyn-viljoen-beng-mechanical_innovation-inspiration-engineering-activity-6468033374685523968-cuYR

 

Personally worked on this design and build.

 

This technology will become much more mainstream as soon as the metal printers become cheaper and larger.

 

 

EDIT: Pichas or it didn't happen...

[Fat Boab]

How are the load regimes, as inputs, defined for these TO designs?

[Vetplant]

How are the load regimes, as inputs, defined for these TO designs?

The designer needs to make sure he accounts for all the loads in the correct locations.

 

On the Quadcopter, the first frame was optimised for stiffness and flight loads, which it obviously survived with success. But during the first test flight the control hardware had a malfunction and the copter dropped from 1m, which the frame didn't survive.

 

The subsequent design only needed a couple of extra members to make it survive that loadcase.

 

Garbage in=garbage out.

 

It bcomes very important to understand all the loadcases fully otherwise you run the risk of not surviving one of the simplest events.

[WIPEOUT 1000]

I am sure the design was done with some sort of fancy FEM, but I suspect the design was optimized for a very specific scenario (e.g. a static loads in a very specific plane).   

 

 

The individual members look very slender and I would not be very surprised if they would buckle under another scenario, such as the torsional moment as created when pedalling.

 

[Vetplant]

 

I am sure the design was done with some sort of fancy FEM, but I suspect the design was optimized for a very specific scenario (e.g. a static loads in a very specific plane).   

 

 

 

The individual members look very slender and I would not be very surprised if they would buckle under another scenario, such as the torsional moment as created when pedalling.

 

Agreed. I would go through the load cases with a fine toothed comb before I swing my leg over that thing.

 

Plus, as I mentioned before: in all likelihood you wouldn't be able to manufacture it as light as an existing carbon frame. So it is all just for the fun of it really.