Additive Manufacturing and Innovation for Automotive: Pushing the Limits of Performance

At this year’s Hannover Messe, Siemens and Bugatti Automobiles are presenting the world’s largest hybrid functional assembly, based on 3D printed hollow and thin walled titanium metal components and ceramic-coated wound high-modulus carbon fiber tubes: an extremely lightweight yet ultra-rigid rear wing travel and adjustment system for the Bugatti Chiron.

The Bugatti Chiron (image courtesy Bugatti Automobiles)

How do you get something even more perfect?

Siemens and Bugatti will be showcasing this at Hannover Messe.

Utilizing the power of an integrated product development software platform, the already lightweight Bugatti Chiron wing system was further reduced in weight by 50% while maintaining its same rigidity.  This was accomplished by combining 3D printed titanium components, made using SLM, and carbon fiber reinforced tubes. Visitors to the Hannover Messe can see the optimized rear-wing hydraulic system on display in Hall 6 at the Siemens PLM Software booth J30.

The Chiron, like its predecessor, the Veyron, moves at speeds far beyond 400km/h. While a Boeing 747 jumbo-jet takes off from the ground at 280 km/h, the Bugatti super sports car must remain safely on the ground at these high speeds and cope with the extremely high transverse and longitudinal dynamic requirements. This is only possible through the use of active vehicle aerodynamics. With the help of a sophisticated hydraulic system, the distance of the vehicle to the road is precisely controlled using a rear wing that extends and aligns while vehicle front diffuser flaps open and close. This system is unique in the automotive world and its complexity is only comparable to corresponding aviation systems.

Siemens and Bugatti have carried out the entire innovation process, from the virtual wind tunnel to component initial design, in one software platform for the purpose of showcasing an end-to-end process at Hannover Messe. Using one platform helps to avoid time-consuming and often error-prone data conversions between different file formats and re-modeling of designs. The results are more precise and the time required to get to the first component is dramatically reduced. Even the virtual wind tunnel and the virtual test tracks are part of the Siemens vehicle engineering solution, enabling the marriage of the digital product and production twins from concept through optimization and on to production, including CNC machine control for part finishing.

“By simulating functional performance throughout the entire vehicle development process chain using one integrated platform, from aerodynamics through a highly complex body to the additive manufacturing process for lightweight components, we can gain an enormous advantage when striving to push the limits of performance for an already perfect car,” say Mr. Götzke, Head of New Technologies at Bugatti.  “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Siemens and other excellent partners to showcase what’s possible for the automotive world by combining the latest technologies and expertise.”

Accelerating the innovation process by 10X using Siemens’ digital innovation platform, including NX and Simcenter capabilities for generative design, composite design, and multi-physics simulation, the optimized aerodynamics control system results in reduced weight and aerodynamic drag for enhanced vehicle performance.

At Siemens, we are excited to co-innovate with a network of industry leaders like Bugatti Automobiles, Fraunhofer IAPT, East-4D, and Vogt Engineering to constantly push the limits of what’s possible with innovation. Investing in the development of new technologies, their applications and to showcase how innovation unlocks greater levels of performance for our customers is important for Siemens to help our customers, partners and the automotive industry as a whole to accelerate forward.

For more information about Bugatti Automobiles, please visit: www.bugatti.com