Bugatti has succeeded in developing the world’s first 3D printed brake caliper. The new eight-piston monobloc brake caliper is the result of cooperation between the Bugatti Development Department and Laser Zentrum Nord in Hamburg.
It is made from a particular titanium with the scientific designation of Ti6AI4V, which is mainly used in the aerospace industry. The new brake caliper weighs only 2.9 kg, which is 40% lighter when compared with the current aluminium componentary.
The main drawback of the new part is the extremely long production time. It takes a total of 45 hours to print a brake caliper. During the process, titanium powder is deposited layer by layer. With each layer, four lasers melt the titanium powder into the shape defined for the brake caliper. The material cools immediately and the brake caliper takes shape. A total of 2,213 layers are required. After this is done, the composition goes through heat treatment and smoothing process, which takes another 11 hours to complete.
According to Bugatti, the first trials for use in production vehicles are due to be held in the first half of the year. While the exact time schedule has yet to be finalized, the company says that the engineering team promises that it will be possible to considerably shorten production times, especially for machining.
