Midland Choppers turn signals
Turn signals on a Midland Choppers motorcycle.
Midland Manufaktur Kft, a subsidiary of Midland Choppers GmbH, has revealed its use of a MakerBot Replicator desktop FDM machine to produce prototypes and small end-use parts.
The company is a manufacturer of its own brand of chopper bikes, and also provides accessories for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Its Midland Manufaktur division, based in Hungary, is responsible for the design, development and manufacture of the components for the choppers and is where the Replicator system was deployed.
Here, Midland Manufaktur is printing prototypes to test the designs of parts which include frames, wheels, tanks, fenders, primaries, triple trees, and turn signals. Smaller components on the bikes are also being printed for end use in very small quantities.
Traditionally, the company has used CNC machining to produce prototypes, but cite the expense and time-consuming process as the reasons for bringing 3D printing in-house. Since, Midland Manufaktur has been able to streamline the design validation phase of its production workflow.
Midland Choppers has now also moved to install a Replicator machine at its headquarters in Gretzenbach, Switzerland, to facilitate better communication between the two locations when discussing components, the company reasoning better collaboration can be achieved when teams at both offices can hold the part in their hands.
“We choose MakerBot because the 3D printers are easy to use, and we receive a high value for an affordable price,” commented Michael Gruell, CEO of Midland Manufaktur Kft. “With the Replicator, we have been able to reduce material and labour costs dramatically. 3D printing a model is faster than crafting it with a CNC machine and post-processing requires less time.”
Midland Choppers has a portfolio of five production models, which all boast interchangeable parts so the look of the bike can be modified later. It has also established the ‘All Star’ programme where the company build a tailored bike to the customer’s specifications. Accessories and clothing can be purchased online.
