Is This The Future Of How Bikes Will Be Made?
Charge bring some space age technology to the bike market…
Earlier in the year we got a brief look at some rather special dropouts which Charge had made from titanium using additive layer manufacturing (ALM), but now they’ve produced this video which shows us a bit more about the process, and the creation of their new cyclocross bike dropout which has an integral disc mount.
ALM has been around for years now in the form of ‘rapid prototyping’, but it is only relatively recently that it has been possible to make parts out of anything other than weak plastic. The ability to now ‘print’ these 3D parts in a variety of metals has opened up a whole new world of possibilities. You can make incredibly complex shapes that could previously never be made, well at least not in one piece. Although this technology is still pretty expensive it is spreading into an increasing range of applications, and Charge have now added bikes to that list. Currently it’s normally only economical to produce small and complex parts, but the costs are only going to come down in future so who knows what we’ll see in years to come. A full bike frame? Maybe not for some time, but there’s no doubting that with this technology a whole load of doors could be opened for bike and component designers. Exciting times are ahead I reckon.
Definitely the way forward for making small components, not quite ready for frame building yet though. Most confusing thing i found about this video is why anyone rides cyclocross?
Assuming all the upscaling issues are answered (hmmm) it looks as though you could get one of the key benefits of carbon (ie being able to mould shapes in any way you like) but without waste, environmental problems. Oh, and it’d probably be cheaper to manufacture parts too since you don’t have to worry about mold manufacture or tooling or having to deal with a skilled/unskilled workforce. The entry to market also looks to be really low, compared to the alternative. I agree, exciting times!
Can you imagine how strong and light weight a frame with this layer moulding technique would be.
By the time this gets to full frame manufacturing I won’t be able to afford the £17,000 price tag (frame only – no shock)
Deffinately something very exciting. But my understandiung is that the stregnth of the ALM components aren’t quite up there with machined components so far. As a little side project at work we’re hoping to use an ALM brace to joint two sides of a carbon swingarm.
Yeah I think ALM combined with carbon is where the future lies.
I think this technology will evolve to be faster, more efficient and cost effective in no time at all and definitely will be the way forward.
Makes you proud to be British eh
ALM exists since years. I learnt about this technology 5 years ago and the progress since then does not make me think we will see full frames made of it very soon. Cost is still huge, doing a full frame would take a lot of time (even though I do not even know about machines that would big enough right now), and the strength is not at the same level as a drawn tube. So I have huge doubts about seeing ALM frames that can compete with carbon frames in performance and price in a near future.
But as far as I know, there are already small hub manufacturers using ALM for their freewheel components.
Surely the future has to be graphene. Super light and officially the strongest material in the world.
could be an effective way to produce small components required for a gearbox for bikes ?
I didn’t know that technology existed, amazing. But at the end of the day, cyclocross is still gay!
ED isn’t CF requiring continous fibers for best performance? Like patches of fibers stretching as long as possible in the frame or something? How would you do that with additive stuff? I am actualy thinking of that technology as the end to many CF applications as metal object will now be able to have internal super light structure. I think the first things to be killed by ALM is CF crank arms. Another great aplication: fork crowns, suspension linkages, with outside material needed only as shielding for internal structure
Cyclocross to me is the epitomy of using a tool completely unsuitable for the job at hand. I’m sure there will b e people who defend it for its ‘back to basics approach’ but in reality it isn’t much different than using an Ferrari for 4×4 duties; sure it can be done, but there are more suitable tools for the job.
liked these 3d printed stainless lugs more
https://vimeo.com/34293503
I am afraid its not british. The machine was an EOS machine, thats a german company based outside Munich.
( unless I saw wrong )
Sorry WAKi, i didn’t make myself clear. What i was meaning was the combined use of ALM metal parts and carbon tubing etc. I have seen some bonkers stuff (a mate of mine works with the guys at EADS), and I’d love to tell you more but I can’t!
That said, I also know that people are working on trying to get this technology to work with carbon nanotubes. If they ever manage to pull it off it’ll be nothing short of awesome. There’s talk of being able to align every layer in the exact direction that you want.
Awesome! My mind is boggling with all the possibilities!!
charge have obviously sold a huge amount of fixies to afford this technology… next trend to cash in on is cyclocross