August 14, 2018,German car company BMW Group received the 2018 Altair Enlighten Award for its 3D printed metal convertible roof bracket.
The Altair Enlighten award was presented at a Michigan Automotive Management Briefing Seminar to recognize admirable advances in lightweight technology. The 3D printed metal convertible roof bracket is said to be the first 3D printed metal part used in the production series of vehicles, used in the BMW i8 convertible.
So what exactly does BMW 3D print this part look like? What's magical? According to Antarctic Bear, on the one hand, the weight of the bracket is reduced by 44% after the topology optimization; on the other hand, the structure designed does not require support during printing; and it has been mass-produced.
BMW Group's metal 3D printed roof bracket
Prior to the implementation of 3D printing technology, Maximilian Meixlsperger, BMW Group's head of metal additive manufacturing, spent ten years developing a roof bracket design. With additive manufacturing, especially selective laser melting (SLM) technology, the metal roof bracket was produced for the BMW i8 Roadster within three months.
The 3D printed roof bracket is attached to the convertible roof of the i8 Roadster using spring hinges to enable it to be folded and unfolded on the vehicle. Meixlsperger and his team used topology optimization software to generate a "load path", a design that distributes component loads using as little material as possible.
According to the BMW Group, it has a complex structure, "the optimized bracket supports the roof cover and successfully keeps the displacement to a minimum to prevent the cover plate from collapsing during opening."
Generally, such complex components require support during 3D printing to maintain structural integrity; corresponding post-processing, such as support disassembly and additional component repair, is required, which reduces the efficiency of component design and production.
"What BMW does is to do this without the need for additional support," Yen added. "Now they can print one batch at a time for mass production. They can print more than 600 such brackets at a time."
The BMW Group is no stranger to additive manufacturing. The company uses metal 3D printing technology to 3D print motorcycle frames for BMW sports motorcycles.
French high-performance car maker Bugatti is reluctant to be outdone, creating 3D metal brake calipers for its latest supercar, the Bugatti Chiron. This titanium component was 3D printed using the SLM 500 machine and lasted 45 hours.
General Motors, Daimler-Benz and Faurecia also received Altair Enlighten awards for their work in the field of light vehicle manufacturing.