Lightweight construction with production-oriented design

Task and challenge

CustomerIndustryProductUsed material
Bugatti Engineering GmbHAutomotive8-piston mono brake caliperTitanium-alloy (TiAl6V4)

After the first prototype production of the brake caliper, Bugatti carried out an additional topology optimisation based on the prototype. This comprehensive data had to be adapted to the 3D printing process and post-processing and the prototype had to be analysed. The evaluation and review of the raw model focused on: improving the support design to reduce distortion and optimize post-processing, setting an optimal strength-toughness ratio through heat treatment studies and improving the design of the hydraulic connections.

Optimization in numbers

40%

weight reduction

Solution

  • Review of the raw model: improvement of the support design to reduce tension and distortion tendencies and to enable an optimal post-processing
  • Heat treatment studies to determine the maximum possible tensile strength with minimum required flexural strength
  • Topology optimisation analysis to ensure a production-oriented design suitable for 3D printing

Success

  • Weight reduction of 40 %
  • Reduction of the printing time from 45 hours for the first prototype to 38 hours
  • Tensile strength of 1.190 N/mm²
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