Supercar benefits from 3D-printed component

So, how can the production of a fully functional air intake prototype be reduced from two weeks to just a few hours using a Stratasys F900 3D printer? Well, for the answer, just ask Briggs Automotive Company (BAC), the British manufacturer of the recently launched Mono R, which has revealed the impact that additive manufacturing is having on the design and production of the latest edition to the BAC elite supercar offering.
When faced with detrimental delays to the design process of an essential airbox, the team at BAC turned to Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing to produce fully functional prototypes in record time and improve final, on-road performance.

The Mono R is the company’s most complex car to date, comprising years of thought and thousands of hours of research. Mono R weighs just 555 kg and is the first production car in the world to incorporate the use of graphene-enhanced carbon fibre in every body panel. In order to meet the necessary criteria, the design had to be lighter, more efficient and slicker than any preceding supercar. The team faced a significant challenge, one which could not afford any hiccups.
One such challenge was the design and testing of the Mono R’s innovative air intake. Essential for the car’s cooling and on-road performance, the airbox features extremely complex and unique geometry, with the final part needing to be produced entirely in carbon fibre. Such rigorous demands meant that the production of a prototype using traditional methods presented a huge hurdle for the team. Naturally, the aim was to avoid lead times and costs from potentially spiralling, while ensuring no compromise to the performance and functionality of the prototype itself.
The final design of the airbox required expensive tooling, while the carbon-fibre production process proved labour intensive. It quickly became apparent to the design team that creating a prototype using traditional machining was simply unfeasible.

Ian Briggs, BAC design director, explains. “The lead time to produce one prototype of the airbox using traditional machining methods surpassed two weeks. If there were any problems with the prototype produced, then any design iterations would add double that amount of time. This was a delay we just couldn’t afford.”
The team at BAC turned to additive manufacturing as the solution, and sought the help of Stratasys and its UK platinum partner, Tri Tech 3D. Using the Stratasys F900 production 3D printer, the team produced the airbox in just a few hours, which was then fitted to the car and put through its paces to assess the part’s design and performance.
“Access to quick, efficient, industrial-grade additive manufacturing was a game-changer for this development process,” states Briggs. “Within hours we were able to produce an accurate 3D-printed prototype of the airbox and install it on the car for testing. This enabled us to reduce our design-to-manufacture time significantly.”
However, it was not just turnaround times that the team had to consider. The Mono R can reach top speeds of 170 mph, with its power surpassing 340 bhp and its power-to-weight ratio reaching 612 bhp-per-tonne. As such, every aspect of the design was crucial to the success of the car. With temperatures expected to surpass 100°C degrees, any prototype produced needed to withstand intense conditions during test drives.
Thanks to the engineering-grade materials accessible on the Stratasys F900, the team was able to produce the prototype in Stratasys’ Nylon 12CF material. A carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic that
can endure temperatures of over 140°C, Nylon 12CF offered the design team the chance to test the prototype in as close a material as possible to the real thing.
“Access to the carbon-fibre reinforced Nylon 12CF was integral for this development process,” explains Briggs. “The prototype was as close performance-wise as if we had produced the prototype in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic made from a mould. It also withstood the tests on the track with ease.”
The overall appearance of the Mono R is 20 mm lower and 25 mm longer than its predecessor, meaning that every single millimetre matters. In order to effectively test the airbox, it needed to be accurately fitted to the car, with no room for error. However, the geometry of the airbox was complex – and incredibly large.
“The freedom of design offered by Stratasys’ industrial 3D printers was essential for the airbox,” says Briggs. “We were able to tweak the design and not worry that the final 3D-printed version wouldn’t match the exact size or geometry we needed. Today, our team at BAC has shifted its mindset to design with additive manufacturing in mind.

“The development of the Mono R needed ultimate precision, something to which additive manufacturing lends itself perfectly,” he adds. “We saw this first-hand with the use of Stratasys’ industrial system in the production of the airbox, and for the first time its effects were felt throughout the car. This is just the beginning for BAC in discovering what additive manufacturing can offer us as a design team, and how we can continue to push the boundaries of our industry.”
For further information www.stratasys.com

Laser Lines becomes SISMA reseller

Laser Lines has been named as an exclusive UK reseller of SISMA’s laser-welding systems, which are suitable for customers in the industrial and mould-tool repair markets requiring manual, semi-manual and automatic solutions.

Italy-based SISMA offers both entry-level solutions for one-off welding applications, often used in the dental and jewellery industries, as well as more complex systems, which include advanced movement and programmable welding path features that can incorporate robotics. Laser Lines will be selling units based around both lamp-pumped and fibre-laser technologies.
For further information www.laserlines.co.uk

Hydro takes four machines from Addison Saws

Hydro Components recently invested £9.6m in the refurbishment and re-opening of its manufacturing plant based in Bedwas, Wales.

This work involved the introduction of three Mecal Kosmos four-axis machining centres and one Mecal Geos MDT five-axis machining centre, the first of its kind in the UK, along with the restructuring of the entire plant. All four machines were supplied by Addison Saws.
“At first, Hydro needed to outsource the CNC machining element as issues with their previous machinery meant they lacked the functionality to produce the parts themselves,” recalls Mike Grogan, Addison Saws’ regional sales manager. “Hydro began to use a local subcontracting company operating three Mecal Kosmos machining centres, which were ideal for producing the required parts. However, it soon became apparent that bringing the operation back in-house would be more beneficial in terms of turn-around time, overall cost and allowing greater control over the manufacturing process.”
After the successful installation of the Kosmos machines, Hydro’s production manager at the Bedwas plant was interested in setting up a single step automated production line, eliminating the need for the company’s additional saws. And, after in-depth discussions, Hydro placed an order for the new five-axis MC 302 Geos MDT 8.6 m CNC machining centre.
Addison Saws then flew key members of the Hydro production team out to Mecal’s factory in Italy to view the machine in action. Along with seeing the factory, the management team was reassured knowing that the Mecal software could handle the bespoke program required for complex parts.
For further information https://addisonsaws.co.uk/

Demand for trailers creates 150 jobs

Europe’s largest trailer maker has created 150 new jobs with the help of the successful launch of two flagship horseboxes.

IWT- Pictured are Arwyn Evans, Hannah Jones,Tommy Roberts and Katie Davies. Picture Mandy Jones

Ifor Williams Trailer is looking for extra staff across its four sites in Cynwyd, Corwen, Sandycroft and Deeside. Roles include production managers, production operatives, welders, design engineers and administration staff. Apprenticeships are also available at the company’s Weld Academy.
Ifor Williams Trailer is ramping up production of its HBX and HBE horseboxes. The design of the aluminium-built HBX trailer took its inspiration from the automotive industry, with a nod to the sophisticated ruggedness of the Range Rover and its ‘floating roof’. Demand is also high for other ranges, including livestock trailers, car transporters, ‘business in a box’ trailers, box vans, and flat bed and general duty trailers.
For further information www.iwt.co.uk

Two Amada saws installed at Barrett Steel

Formed by Henry Barrett in 1866, Barrett Steel Ltd has grown to become the UK’s largest independent steel stockholder, today consisting of four divisions with more than 40 companies operating from 26 sites.

Due to higher business levels being experienced by the Barrett Engineering Steel division, a search was recently commenced for an efficient sawing solution that would meet requirements at two sites in the Midlands and northwest. This search prompted the company to invest in a pair of Amada PCSAW 430X/AX pulse cutting automatic bandsaws from Accurate Cutting Services.
In comparison with conventional bandsaws, Accurate Cutting Services says that Amada PC series machines deliver faster cutting by employing a novel mechanism to ‘pulse’ the blade feed pressure. This pulse forces the bandsaw’s tips to overcome any work hardening through the cut, and eliminate the unwelcome vibration harmonics that create noise and damage tip material.
Rob Fern, Barrett Engineering Steel’s Midlands branch manager, explains the reasons for purchasing the bandsaws: “In addition to build quality, the pulse capabilities provide the speed – especially on large diameters – and accuracy that we require. The main consoles also clearly display an estimated finish time for each job, which permits operatives to plan upcoming cuts, while the ability to download data related to blade performance is extremely useful for monitoring KPIs and promoting continuous business improvement.”
At Barrett Engineering Steel, the 430 mm cutting capacity Amada machines are currently being used to saw carbon and alloy grade steel, in both black and bright bar, including the company’s latest EN30B stock.
“As well as the bandsaws, we bought an RT feed conveyor,” says Fern. “The conveyor gives us the benefit of semi-automation and has resulted in a significant reduction in downtime. Indeed, the saw can run unattended for up to two whole shifts.”
For further information www.accurate-cutting.co.uk