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Revolutionizing Custom Bike Manufacturing with 3D Metal Printing: A Triton Bikes Case Study
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
Applicable Industries
- Consumer Goods
- Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Additive Manufacturing
- Rapid Prototyping
The Challenge
Triton Bikes, a custom titanium bicycle and unicycle frames producer based in Moscow, Russia, was faced with the challenge of improving the performance, reducing the weight, and simplifying the manufacturability of a custom bike rear yoke. The rear yoke, a part of the bicycle’s titanium frame that connects the rear chainstays and the bottom bracket, was initially manufactured using a complex, time-consuming, and wasteful process. The part was CNC milled out of a titanium block in two parts, with some of the material milled out from the inside to save weight. The two halves were then welded together. Triton Bikes wanted to redesign this part to withstand a load equal to 130 kg, reduce its weight, increase its strength, simplify the production technology, and reduce cost.
About The Customer
Triton Bikes is a custom titanium bicycle and unicycle frames producer based in Moscow, Russia. The company is known for its innovative approach to bike design and manufacturing, constantly seeking ways to improve performance, reduce weight, and simplify production processes. Triton Bikes approached CML AT with a potential project to redesign the rear yoke for its latest bike model. The company wanted a solution that would not only enhance the strength and performance of the part but also simplify its production and reduce costs. Triton Bikes is currently working on integrating the new design into their customized bike frame and may explore redesigning other parts of the frame in the future.
The Solution
CML AT, a company specializing in the implementation of additive technologies, partnered with CompMechLab, an engineering center and expert in design, optimization, and simulation tools, to redesign the rear yoke. The team at CompMechLab used solidThinking Inspire to apply all of the loads, shape, and boundary conditions and ran multiple rounds of optimization on the part. The redesign process took less than a couple of weeks. After the final design was determined, they ran FEA analysis to ensure that it would meet all of the required loads. CML AT then organized 3D printing and post-processing of the prototype using electron beam melting technology by Arcam. This allowed the production of the part in Ti6Al4V within a very short time frame. CML AT is now responsible for all future production cooperation, as well as technical support for Triton Bikes.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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