Large-scale 3D printer manufacturer BigRep, based in Germany, has created a fully functional electric motorbike. “An angular and lightbike-like concept incorporating BigRep’s 3D printed airless tire design”This bike, according to Daniel Büning, Managing Director and a co-founder of NOWLAB “Push[es] the limits of engineering creativity and will reshape AM technology as we know it.” The electric engine of the bike is encased in a 3D printed shell, and the motor is integrated into the back wheel of the bike. The 3D printed parts of the NERA motorcycle were made with BigRep’s large-scale FDM 3D printers using a range of materials including PLA, Pro FLEX, a TPU-based flexible material, and the engineering-grade ProHT filament. Though a fully functional prototype, demonstrated driving in the street, BigRep has confirmed that this bike was only made for design exploration purposes and unfortunately it won’t be hitting the road anytime soon. Elsewhere in automotive and motorbike design, earlier this year BMW unveiled its 3D printed a chassis for the BMW S1000RR motorbike. More recently, HRE Wheels worked with GE Additive to 3D print titanium wheels for a McLaren P1. So although BigRep’s bike may not make it to market, there are plenty more initiatives where 3D printing is starting to become a viable option in the transport industry.

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