Case Study:
OERLIKON AND URWAHN TEAM ON AN AM CUSTOM BICYCLE
In November, Oerlikon delivered the 1 000 th additively manufactured bicycle component to Urwahn, manufacturer of a first-of-its-kind custom bicycle. This milestone is the fruit of several years of collaboration to create a next-generation bike. Its unique features include rear wheel elastic suspension to ensure a comfortable ride, LED lighting integrated in the frame and a GPS tracking system. The frame is protected by a BALINIT CROMA PLUS coating. The project reflects Oerlikon’s commitment to collaborating with a start-up that places strong emphasis on local sourcing (fair frame) and to promoting sustainable mobility and transportation megatrends, such as cycling, which represent a long-term market opportunity.
Partners in sustainable manufacturing
In traditional bevel gear production, the teeth shape is cut from blanks, which generates an excess of material waste. To reduce these wasted materials, we are partnering with Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology and industry partners Scania, Georg Fischer and Buderus Steel to create a more sustainable process for manufacturing bevel gears. Developing a pre-forged blank at the beginning of the process chain with a near net shape geometry of the teeth presented challenges along the process chain. We addressed these with Oerlikon’s primeGear solution, which optimized surfaces and edges with pre- and post-treatments and coatings. Results of the project include up to an 80% increase in tool life, material savings of up to 20% of the total weight of the workpiece and reductions in not only material waste, but also in the volume of energy and resources needed for production, machining, transport and recycling. Our experience in the EcoGear project affirms our belief in our capacity for facilitating sustainable innovations and the value of partnerships to drive sustainability forward together.
