BigRep, one of the leading companies in large-scale industrial 3D printing, has demoed a stunning new concept to show off their manufacturing prowess.

Called the NERA e-bike, this almost entirely 3D printed electronic motorcycle was recently unveiled by the German company. The only parts that aren’t 3D printed are the electrical components such as the motor and battery.

Almost all of this motorcycle’s components have been 3D printed with machines produced by BigRep. Its sleek lines, however, are the work of designers Marco Mattia Cristofori and Maximilian Sedlak. And although NERA is currently unavailable for sale and serves only to showcase BigRep’s portfolio plus manufacturing capabilities, who knows where this innovation will lead further down the road?

When building NERA, the engineers didn’t simply adapt existing motorcycle designs. Instead they envisioned a bike for large-format fused filament fabrication technology.

“The NERA combines several innovations developed by NOWLAB, such as the airless tire, functional integration and embedded sensor technology,” explained Daniel Büning, NOWLAB’s co-founder and managing director. “This bike and our other prototypes push the limits of engineering creativity and will reshape AM technology as we know it.” 

Among the many innovations featured in this 3D printed electronic motorcycle are the airless tires with customized tread; a lightweight rhomboid wheel rim, as well as flexible bumpers instead of suspension and the electric engine, which is fitted in a customizable case. NERA’s makeup was printed in 15 pieces. Its electric engine sits inside the motorcycle’s back rim, while its battery lies snugly within the carrier’s body.

The result is a compact 3D printed electronic motorcycle that weighs in at 60kgs, is 190cm x 90cm x 55cm and fully functional. There’s currently no word on performance specs, however. To learn more, check out the video below:

3D printed e-motorcycle

Source: https://www.designboom.com/technology/bigrep-nera-3d-printed-electric-motorcycle-11-22-2018/