Aftermarket Moto Design 275 June 2022 AMD 275 June 2022 | Page 28

3D Printed Steel Frame is Lighter than Titanium By Ben Purvis

The Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Research Group ( MOD3RN ) at Nebrija University in Madrid has created a motorcycle frame by 3D printing it from powdered steel - the result is lighter than conventional designs made from aluminum or even titanium . Backed by steel producer AcelorMittal , the project uses readily available materials in the form of powdered steel and known 3D printing technology , using lasers to selectively fuse the material together in layers , building up the entire frame in a series of slices . The challenge was to meet the rigidity requirements of a motorcycle frame while using the absolute minimum amount of material . The project had to develop computer
algorithms that allow the operator to enter details of key hardpoints of the chassis - the engine mount positions , for instance , and the steering head and swingarm pivot location - as well as the required level of rigidity . The computer can then work out a layout of frame struts that meets those requirements
and which can be 3D printed with the least material . It is the latter part of the process that is critical - the frame struts are all hollow , with walls between 0.8 mm and 1 mm thick , and normal 3D printing would require those hollow areas to be filled with support structures . By placing the frame struts at particular angles , and orienting the frame correctly during the print process , the Nebrija algorithms eliminate these supports , significantly reducing weight . Sergio Corbera , engineering director at the university , said : " The possibility of generating hollow parts was the main unknown in metal 3D printing . We are talking about wall thicknesses of between 0.8 and 1 mm in the chassis . This involved addressing several issues
within 3D printing : stability of the piece during the printing process as a result of the very low thicknesses , control of porosities and mechanical properties in these thicknesses , and orientation of the geometric shape to avoid internal supports ." The resulting prototype frame , designed to suit a single-cylinder race bike , weighs just 3.8 kg , compared to around 5 kg for a similar frame made from aluminum using conventional processes . A normal steel trellis frame of the same size would be 6 to 7 kg .

IMS Canceled

Owner Informa has announced the suspension of its IMS Outdoors event series for 2022 . A statement by Informa said that " after 40 years of producing the International Motorcycle Shows and IMS Outdoors , we have made the difficult decision to suspend the IMS Tour in 2022 . " The powersports industry is at a crossroads with where and how brands promote their products amidst the continued manufacturing and sourcing delays associated with the pandemic . These current hurdles that our brand partners are facing would have made it difficult for us to produce an IMS that would meet your , and our , expectations . " Therefore , we will not be moving forward with the planned 2022 events , including the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show ."
Seen here receiving his prize from Bob Kay ( right ) Anthony Robinson ( center ) secured the 2021 " King Of Builders " title in Atlanta with a 1949 Triumph T-110 - " Black Coffee ".

Hoban Brothers Teams With Rossmeyer H-D and Michael Barnes for 2022 KOTB / BRL

Newton , Wi ., based Hoban Brothers Racing presented by Man-O-War Motor Products has teamed up with Bruce Rossmeyer ' s Daytona Harley- Davidson and rider Michael Barnes to compete in the 2022 MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers series and select Bagger Racing League series races . " We are super excited to be partnering with Hoban Brothers Racing , John Dahmer and Michael Barnes in order to race our Bruce Rossmeyer Harley- Davidson Bagger again this season . We have some great memories with Michael Barnes when he rode for the Rossmeyer / Richie Morris racing team in the AMA Daytona Sportbike series in 2009 and are happy that Michael will be piloting our home-grown Harley-Davidson Bagger for four races in the AMA series and one race in the BRL . " We are also super-stoked to have the support of Harley-Davidson Motor Company as we strive to keep the Harley-Davidson brand on top where it belongs ," said Shelly Rossmeyer Pepe , General Manager of Bruce Rossmeyer ' s Daytona Harley- Davidson . " It is truly amazing to be working with Shelly and Bruce Rossmeyer ' s Daytona Harley-Davidson , Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Michael Barnes as it was imperative that we all worked together to make this opportunity happen , especially after Hoban Brothers and Rossmeyer Racing were
Michael Barnes : " I ' m really excited to have signed a deal with Hoban Brothers Racing and Bruce Rossmeyer ' s Daytona Harley-Davidson ."
not able to start the race at Daytona this March . " We are also pleased to have Michael on board and look forward to the team and Michael working together to achieve the goals we set last year . Michael is a proven winner as he won the inaugural Bagger Racing League Premier Bagger class at Utah Motorsports Campus and was a podium finisher in the MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers race at Laguna Seca in 2021 ." Barnes has a pro racing career that spans 33 years with seven national wins and 48 podium finishes . He won the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 series championship in 2012 , and he won the Daytona 200 in 2016 ,
becoming the oldest rider ( at 47 ) ever to win that race . " We are lucky to have all of our sponsors back this year , Jimmy Light from HPi and Tom Reiser from TMan Performance were a large part of our success , along with our guys from Darkhorse Crankworks from last year , to have their support in race engine development again this year is huge for our team ," says John Dahmer , Manager of Hoban Brothers Racing . darkhorsecrankworks . com
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