50,000 3D printed titanium bike parts per year

Hi-Light optimizes bike parts production production with Farsoon Technology

Chinese industrial 3D printer manufacturer, Farsoon Technologies, is joining forces with Hi-Light (Hanglun), the Chinese producer of titanium bike components and frames, to utilize titanium 3D printing for selected parts. Their goal is to produce 50,000 components annually—a significant figure for 3D printing, but modest for bike part production.

Mass production of parts using 3D printing technology is currently still not highly profitable due to technological limitations and high material costs. Generally, the larger the part, the less cost-effective it is to produce it with 3D printers. Unfortunately, in 3D printing, a part measuring 20 cm (8 inches) across the XYZ axes is already considered quite large, while the industry demands the capability to mass-produce parts significantly larger than this.

However, if the right part is identified and further optimized for additive manufacturing, producing it using 3D printers starts to make a lot of sense—often more so than with traditional manufacturing methods.

Hi-Light holds approximately 80% of the Chinese road bike market and produces 18,000 frames annually. The company specializes in titanium—a super lightweight, extremely durable, but quite expensive metal alloy. Until now, it has used 3D printing only to a limited extent. The company hopes to change that by using the Farsoon FS350M 3D printer, equipped with four lasers.

Hi-Light plans to print components such as connectors, head tubes, yokes, and forks, which are crucial to the bike's geometry. By customizing these parts to meet individual riders’ needs, the company can easily create new bike designs. 3D printing technology allows for more efficient production with fewer parts and production steps, which can improve the quality and precision of manufacturing.

Hi-Light currently produces 38 such components daily, optimized for ride comfort and stiffness. While the company still plans to use traditional casting for mass production, it sees 3D printing as an opportunity for greater flexibility and faster innovation. This technology has enabled them to reduce frame weight to 1.4 kg while maintaining its strength.

The company is also considering producing complete bikes, expanding its offerings from individual parts to full bike manufacturing.

Source: www.farsoon-gl.com