Motorbike part revs up Additive Manufacturing prowess

The MTC worked with GRM and K-Tech on a project to investigate the weight-saving of an additive manufactured motorbike part.

“The MTC's experience in additive manufacturing technologies has been a great help in ensuring our tools compliment these emerging technologies.”
Martin Gambling, Managing Director at GRM Consulting Ltd.

The Challenge

• Design SMEs GRM and K-Tech were keen to further investigate the capability of Additive Manufacturing (AM)
• In order to fully utilise the benefits of AM for product improvement, GRM and K-Tech were looking to develop knowledge and expertise in considerations for Design for AM 
• K-Tech had previously designed and manufactured a motorbike fork end, and were looking to improve this product

MTC’s Solution

• Working with GRM using TruForm topology optimisation, the MTC facilitated fast iteration of designs to optimise the motorbike fork
• Two motorbike forks were manufactured in a titanium alloy using Electron Beam Melting (EBM)
• The MTC performed non destructive evaluation (NDE) via structured light scanning. This was carried out using GOM for geometric conformance and X-ray computed tomography for defect detection

The Outcome

• Electron beam additive manufactured components with assurance of quality via NDE
• Optimisation of component design, achieving a 50g weight saving per component. The switch to titanium improved fracture toughness.

Benefits to the client

• Fast iteration and design change implementation throughout project
• Product and process knowledge captured for use in future GRM and K-Tech programmes
• Transferable capability and knowledge obtained as a result

“Through the support of the MTC, GRM were able to learn, apply and demonstrate our TruForm design tool to great success.”
Martin Gambling, Managing Director at GRM Consulting Ltd.