Additive manufacturing solutions company, Materialise have teamed up with Italian automobile brand, Nuova SPA, to upgrade a high-tech electric bicycle with 3D printing.
The new version of the Bicicletto, advanced by the incorporation of 3D printing in the production of the bike, marks the beginning of a long-term manufacturing partnership between the two companies. It will feature additive manufactured end-use parts which will help make the bike lighter, faster and more cost-efficient to produce.
Though the automotive industry has been an early adopter of 3D technology in its production methods. As an e-bike, Bicicletto is relatively unique compared to the rest of the industry.
“3D printing was a major contributor to our R&D process. It has made production easier and it’s also helping us bring down costs,” said Julianto Imprescia, CEO of Nuova SPA. “Bringing additive manufacturing to an already-running design, like the Bicicletto, can be challenging but dedicated collaboration helped us achieve it. Working with Materialise has been a gift, particularly with respect to having Materialise’s decades of additive manufacturing expertise at our disposal.”
SPA, a Torino-based brand with vast experience in luxury and sport automobiles, together with military and industrial vehicles, has a long history dating back to 1906. Now channelling their focus on combining innovation and luxury, Nuova SPA designs e-bikes and electric vehicles with an iconic vintage-inspired style. Bicicletto in particular is a sleek electric bike with elements that evoke classic, more traditional motorbikes. But the mechanics have been increasingly modified and modernised with the use of 3D printing technologies.
“For additive manufacturing to bring end-use parts to a premium e-bike like this, it takes more than just 3D printing facilities,” said Alessio Esposti, Account Manager of Materialise Italy. “It takes dedicated post-production, rigorous quality control, and in-house engineering expertise. With this collaboration, we look forward to broadening the horizons of the automotive industry through additive manufacturing.”
This partnership will enable Nuova SPA to develop new projects, both for two-wheeler and four-wheeler vehicles, with the most modern technology. In particular, 3D printing will support the realisation of an off-road electric bike, which could be considered a new version of Bicicletto, and of a quadricyle.
For Materialise, the collaboration provides an opportunity to continuously meet higher industry standards at its Certified Additive Manufacturing facility. They hope this will mean the role of additive manufacturing in automotive production will also be strengthened.
