THERE’S A SNAKE IN YOUR PRINTER

Picture source:http://www.3ders.org

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER – VOLUME 47 NUMBER 3

-Additive Manufacturing Produces Shelby Cobra for Detroit Auto Show-

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used to print Shelby Cobra (1400 pounds) to celebrate the legendary racing car’s 50th anniversary. The lab’s manufacturing and transportation researchers plan to use the 3D printed Shelby as a laboratory on wheels.

The car is designed to plug and play components such as battery and fuel cell technologies, hybrid systems designs, power electronics and wireless charging systems. The vehicle has about 500 pounds of printed parts made of 20% carbon fiber. The making process took 6 weeks in the process of design, manufacture, and assembles, including 24 hours of print time.

The goal of Oak Ridge ManufacturingResearch groupis to demonstrate the potential of large-scale additive manufacturingas an innovative and viable manufacturing technology. The shelby project builds on the successful completion of the Strati, a fully 3-D printed vehicle created through a collaboration between Local Motors and Oak Ridge National Laboratories. The Shelby Cobra sports car, was disply in january at the 2015 North American International Autoshow in Detroit