BLOODHOUND SSC
The BLOODHOUND SSC's tip/nose was designed with Renishaw
How fast can your car go? If you answered above 70mph, and are in the UK go immediately to jail. Whatever it was though we doubt it is 1000mph, the speed the BLOODHOUND project is aiming to smash.
The Richard Noble backed project, BLOODHOUND SSC (Supersonic Car), is attempting to beat the previous land-speed record – held by another Richard Noble project, Thrust SSC – by a whopping 240mph.
To help the BLOODHOUND gang blow the previous land speed record out of the water, the car needs to be perfect from end to tip. The tip is one of the most important aspects of any vehicle aiming to go really, really fast and BLOODHOUND’s has been produced with a helping hand from 3D printing.
Renishaw, one of the UK's leading additive manufacturing companies, is contributing its knowledge in 3D printing to create key prototype parts for the BLOODHOUND Supersonic Car, which will attempt to break the 1,000 mph speed barrier during Summer 2015.
Dan Johns, lead engineer at BLOODHOUND SSC responsible for materials, process and technologies, says: “We believe that the key benefit of using an additive manufacturing process to produce the nose tip is the ability to create a hollow, but highly rigid titanium structure, and to vary the wall thickness of the tip to minimise weight. To machine this component conventionally would be extremely challenging, result in design compromises, and waste as much as 95% of the expensive raw material.”
On 4th July, the Rt Hon David Willetts MP, UK Minister for Universities and Science, formally opened the new BLOODHOUND Technical Centre in Avonmouth, Bristol, where the iconic car is now being assembled. He also announced a £1 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to support the BLOODHOUND Project's education and outreach mission, which aims to inspire children about STEM subjects.
During his visit, Mr Willetts was presented with a special commemorative plaque containing a prototype nose tip manufactured by Renishaw on one of its AM250 additive manufacturing machines.
“With 3D printing having such a high profile within the media and political circles, it is fantastic that the only UK manufacturer of a metal-based additive manufacturing machine is able to contribute to this iconic British project which aims to inspire a new generation of engineers here and around the world.” says Simon Scott, Director of Renishaw's Additive Manufacturing Products Division.
