Problem
NOWlab, the innovation team over at BigRep have designed a 3D-printed motorbike they call Nera. The bike took inspiration from Blade Runner and the Batmobile, with a sleek, futuristic appearance. All of Nera’s components, except any electrical ones, have been 3D printed which means this is a world first.
Marco Mattia Cristofori and Maximilian Sedlak from BigRep designed Nera in order to show the company’s ability to use new materials and techniques, which are not yet for sale.
Co-founder of NOWlab Daniel Büning said “Nera illustrates the massive benefits that 3D-printing offers for the production of end-use parts, particularly for batch sizes between lot size one [small quantities manufactured in a single production run] to small series, by reducing lead times and costs, optimising supply chains and limiting dependency on supplier networks.”
Solution
Nera was printed using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) which feeds continuous thermoplastic material though a heated extruder. “In building Nera, the engineers didn’t simply adapt existing motorcycle designs, but instead envisioned a bike for large-format FDM technology, setting a benchmark for truly creative design; breaking the limits of traditional mechanical engineering,” said NOWlab.
In addition to running on a fully electric engine embedded in the back rim, with the battery fitted within the angular body, the Nera motorbike features airless tires, embedded sensor technology and flexible bumpers instead of suspension. The vehicle also has forkless steering with eight pivot joints, a lightweight rhomboid wheel rim, embedded LED lights with 3D-printed reflectors, and strong hexagonal structures for load-bearing elements like the wheels.
BigRep is billed as the first creator to use 3D printing in motorcycle production. Let alone create a 3D printed motorbike! Designers and architects have applied the technique to a number of products. This ranges from a steel bridge to models of patients’ hearts that are used to plan surgery.
