Bugatti uses SLM Solutions metal 3D printing to produce optimised functional components

From BMW’s optimized fixture for its i8 Roadster’s soft top to XEV’s eclectic car or Volkswagen’s manufacturing aids, 3D printing has found itself an application in just about every aspect of the automotive production line. Now, a high-performance sports car manufacturer, Bugatti has detailed how it has been applying metal additive manufacturing for a number of functional components.
Last year, the company successfully tested a 3D printed brake caliper, believed to be the world’s volumetrically largest functional SLM selective laser melting titanium component, built on SLM Solutions SLM 500 machine in Ti6Al4V in partnership with Fraunhofer IAPT and Bionic Production AG. The test achieved a tensile strength of 1,250 N/mm2 and a material density of over 99.7%.