2023-07-14 14:30:44
Speed is essential for an F1 team not only on the racetrack, but also in the development of parts. The BWT Alpine 1 team prints high-quality molds and molds for casting with silicone and PU material.
“The performance requirements for Formula 1 components are extreme. Races last up to two hours, during which the entire vehicle is subjected to highly variable temperatures, intense vibrations and brute force,” says Pat Warner, Advanced Digital Manufacturing Manager at the BWT Alpine F1 Team. The development team falls back on 3D printing for this because of the speed with which parts can then be developed and tested. Earlier this year, the team invested in 4 fast SLA printers from 3D Systems.
Silicone molding material
One of the materials the team prints with the Figure 4 Modular, is the EGGSHELL-AMB 10 material. This is a special material for printing models for casting with silicone, but also ceramics and metal. Due to its thermal properties, it is particularly suitable for silicone molding. In combination with the Figure 4 from 3D Systems, the shapes can be printed quickly. Sometimes the BWT Alpine development team prints several models per day: most molds are ready within 90 minutes. The largest molds take up to 3 hours of printing time. In the process, the F1 team uses 3D Sprint, the software from 3D Systems with which support can be added and the printing process controlled, among other things.
Medogenloos time
“With these solutions I see things every day that I have never seen before. I can’t think of any other way we could make so many different parts in so many silicones and PU materials at this relentless pace,” concludes Pat Warner.
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