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from the if-you-give-a-mouse-a-printer… dept.
There have been a number of electric motorcycles that have broken away from the traditional designs of their gas-powered brethren, including the Rocsie and Zeus. But what would happen if a moto was specifically designed for Fused Filament Fabrication printing? Germany's BigRep has debuted a number of automotive and e-mobility prototypes at this year's formnext additive manufacturing exhibition, including the world's first 3D-printed working electric motorcycle.
The 190 x 90 x 55 cm (74.8 x 35.4 x 21.6 in) Nera bike was designed by Marco Mattia Cristofori with Maximilian Sedlak from the company's Nowlab innovation consultancy and printed on BigRep's own large-scale 3D printers using ProHT, ProFLEX, PETH and PLA filaments through a 0.6 - 1 mm nozzle at a layer height of 0.4 - 0.6 mm.
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Everything except the electrical components has been produced on a 3D printer – that includes the tires (with custom tread), rhomboid wheel rims, frame, fork and seat. The Nera bike also rocks flexible bumpers to replace the traditional suspension found in other motos.
Custom-printed electric motorcycles, but will they ever be allowed on the road?
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday November 21 2018, @02:28AM (1 child)
Mashable [mashable.com] makes the impressive claim that the bike is made of only 15 printed parts.
It is not clear what they are using for wheel bearings or brakes.
If it running a single speed gearbox, the throttle needs to have either huge travel, or be non-linear.
Can imagine getting very sore wrists at highway speeds!
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday November 21 2018, @05:37PM
Just get a throttle that controls acceleration ...