Biomimicry
using a design based on biomimicry. CDP is taking these initial concepts and optimising them for driver ergonomics. The steering wheel is 3D printed and so can be tailored specifically for Andy Green’s needs. “It allows us the ability to lay
down the minimum amount of material required to carry the stresses. It allows a more organic design,” explains Dr Jez Clements, partner, Cambridge Design Partnership. “3D printing is a great way to make a part based on biomimicry, because bones actually lay down material and absorb material, dependent on the stress experienced in a given area, minimising the energy and material required.” For now, the material is 3D printed in ABS – the same material as that used in Lego bricks – but the final piece will be 3D printed in titanium.
manufacturing of three-dimensional components that have been biologically inspired – has been done at a cottage scale, on projects such as the development of the Bloodhound SSC (SuperSonic Car). Cambridge Design Partnership is developing the steering wheel design for world land speed record holder Andy Green for the Bloodhound SSC,
Moving forward, it’s clear that, for
biomimicry to be the engineering game changer some people are predicting, structural components – whether designed using topology optimisation or not – will need to be both 3D printed and very strong; which is one reason why the continuing development of a graphene-based 3D printing material is anticipated with such excitement. Whether the automotive industry can afford to produce such complex biologically-inspired components remains to be seen. The big question, says Harrow, is whether these processes can scale up in the volumes the industry will need.
Scale and customisation “The car industry could scale up, because it has the resources to do so. There is also the potential for a lot more customisation, with consumers even able to have an input into the design process. And, if you are able
May/June 2013
Dale Harrow “Car designers have been inspired by nature for years”
to save 30% in weight, because you are able to design fully three- dimensionally, then the implications for sustainability are huge,” he points out.
“When you look at the amount of
detail that is being put into headlights now, I can’t imagine how that would have been possible without the ability to visualise and model in 3D. At the moment, there are boundaries. If you look at the A-pillar, it’s thick, because you want to increase the rake of the windscreen. If you could control the A-post, so it’s only strong where it needs to be, or also change the interface between glass and hard material, you could have a semi translucent A-post, with more freedom of form and less limitations.” Such design freedom, in tandem
with advanced engineering principles with a basis in the natural world, utilising advanced materials, really could be the game-changer the automotive industry is looking for. Perhaps it is not a question of whether the car industry can afford to adopt such processes. Rather, as cars become more and more niche, with more and more customisation offered, the automotive industry can’t afford not to.
www.automotivedesign.eu.com 19
© Royal College of Art
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