First 3D-Printed Concept Car from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore
Singapore gets its first 3D-printed concept car, as Technewsworld reports. Built on a carbon fiber chassis, the lightweight plastic with 150 parts in 3D were made on printers available in the University. Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology and 3D printer manufacturer Stratasys have worked together on the 3D-printed concept car. The car, powered by solar cells and carries a honeycomb structure, can hit 60 kph. These efforts and great results point to the potential use of 3D printing in different fields and especially when designing the different components within a car.
MediaNTU states that this is the first urban solar electric car to be made and based on an ground-breaking 3D-printed body. The NTU Venture (NV) eight will be seen participating at Shell Eco-marathon Asia in the Urban Concept category this year. NTU students have also created (NV) 9, which is a 3-wheeled racer that has an exclusive tilting ability and can take sharp turns at corners. The motorcycle racing has inspired it. Designed from scratch, these two models of vehicles aim for the maximum fuel efficiency. Ng Heong Wah, Associate Professor, who is the mentor behind the teams, said that his students decided to take disruptive innovations here. NTU students have made use of the latest engineering techniques to create the model.
According to TechNews, NV8 is about 260 lb. in weight and its lighter weight could be a problem on the roads. It also means that it would be able to carry only relatively lighter passengers. Research is still going on in creating lightweight cars that are also safer on the roads. Graphene-based materials are already being looked into by a European consortium that can keep the vehicle and the occupant safe even when remaining very light. In addition, the smaller, lighter vehicles on the roads can face higher damage and risks from a larger, heavier vehicle carrying larger mass and weight.
