Bicycle design company Empire Cycles, and Renishaw, the United Kingdom’s only manufacturer of metal-based additive manufacturing machines, have collaborated to create a 3D-printed titanium bike frame. It’s based on the Empire MX-6 mountain bike design but is stronger and about 33-percent lighter. 

A process called topological optimization determined the most efficient use of the titanium throughout the frame’s hollow structure. The most logical placement of material optimizes its design for being lightweight yet able to bear the load.

Employing Renishaw’s AM250 additive manufacturing system, the frame was manufactured in sections and bonded together. The additive manufacturing process, better known as 3D printing, allows for customized construction with the flexibility to make design improvements right up to the start of production.

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