2024-08-23 15:52:20
China Hanglun Technology produces 20,000 titanium bicycle frames per year, supplying many top brands in the global bicycle industry. The next step is to 3D print frames and other parts. To this end, Hanglun Technology has invested in Farsoon’s 3D metal printers and plans to 3D print 50,000 titanium bicycle parts per year.
Since launching China’s first “Hi-Light” titanium bicycle in 1992, Hanglun Technology has become the world’s largest titanium bicycle manufacturer. Titanium is very suitable for making bicycle parts due to its low specific gravity, high strength and high corrosion resistance. However, the difficulty is that the welding of titanium parts must be precise so as not to destroy the good performance of titanium parts. The process required for this increases production costs.
Lighter, stronger bike
Therefore, Hanglun Technology chose additive manufacturing as a production technology. Last year, the global bicycle industry supplier made a strategic investment in the Farsoon FS350M 4 metal printer. Its goal is to 3D print more than 50,000 components per year, including batch models and custom bicycles for bicycle manufacturers. The goal is to provide parts that make bicycles lighter, more durable and stronger.
Game Changer
“3D printing is a game-changer for our industry, leading the way in innovation. It fits perfectly with traditional investment casting. We currently use investment casting for large-scale production and 3D printing for small custom projects. With this combination, we can manufacture lighter, more complex and highly customized bicycle parts. In addition, it helps us reduce the cost and environmental impact of small-batch production, speed up delivery time, and make the whole process smoother and more efficient.” Henglun Technology.
Benefits of 3D Printing
With 3D printing, Chinese suppliers can iterate faster and implement design changes more easily, as there are fewer process steps and no tooling, such as casting molds, is required. In addition, Hanglun Technology is currently developing more complex components with specific functions integrated into them. This eliminates risks such as fatigue issues caused by welding errors. Finally, the weight of the bicycle can be further reduced by omitting the filler material required for welding. Assisted by topology optimization, the weight of the fully 3D printed titanium frame was reduced by 1.4 kg. Hanglun Technology further integrates specific functions such as brake and shifting components into the printed handlebars. This improves the overall efficiency of the process and further improves performance.
Better functionality
3D printed titanium parts Farsoon High-Tech The FS350M-4 grade has a tensile strength of 1035 MPa, a yield strength of 998 MPa and an elongation at break of 13.5%. These values are better than with previous production processes. These improvements significantly extend the service life of the components. Not only does the Airwheel raise the standards of performance, efficiency and design in the bicycle industry, it also strengthens the tradition of the “Hi-Light” brand through continuous technological advancement.
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