BMW Motorrad has unveiled a BMW S 1000 RR 3D-printed chassis.
The entire chassis and swingarm were manufactured using a 3D-printing technology called “Additive Manufacturing”.
Three-dimensional parts made from plastic or metal take shape layer by layer which can be manufactured quicker whilst maintaining quality.
Heading towards the future with the moving time, BMW Motorrad has embraced the movement of futuristic technology with the revolutionary step in motorcycle manufacturing. They’ve successfully made a BMW S 1000 RR chassis using a 3D printer!
The 3D-printed chassis together with the swingarm were made by BMW Motorrad and introduced a few days ago during their Digital Day in Mallorca, Spain. Based on the photos provided, we can see that they went with a more ‘organic’ look in which we are not too entirely sure about how well it performs.
One thing is for sure; it looks AMAZING. Instead of cold hard metal with sharp edges, the frame flows and curves as if it was actually a skeleton for a living being. BMW Motorrad apparently calls their 3D-printing process “Additive Manufacturing”.
The way the manufacturing process is explained by BMW Motorrad is as follows:
- Three-dimensional parts made from plastic or metal take shape layer by layer.
- High-quality parts can be produced quickly while offering an unlimited freedom of design.
- No press or casting moulds needed.
- The geometry of the parts is determined entirely by a digital dataset.
Not much else can be said about this technology apart from the fact that they are experimenting with it as part of their R&D process instead of jumping straight to mass production. Currently, only the BMW i8 Roadster is using a somewhat similar technique for parts manufacturing called metal powder laser melting.
Who knows? A few years down the road and you can actually get your very own sports bike printed right in front of you with endless of customisation options at your fingertips. How interesting…
