Aston Martin
Aston Martin has revealed that its DBR22 V-12 engined two-seater coach-built design concept is equipped with a 3D printed rear subframe.
The subframe has been additively manufactured by Divergent Technologies, a Tier 1 automotive supplier that harnesses its Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS) to manufacture parts. Aston Martin is believed to be the first named automotive brand to receive 3D printed components from Divergent, who first made headlines with its own hypercar concept. Moving forward, Divergent aims to scale multiple modular factories in the US and Europe to deploy its DAPS.
Using 3D printing technology, Divergent has manufactured the rear subframe in multiple pieces – all produced with titanium – before bonding them to form the finished subframe. This is said to have resulted in a significant weight saving and no reduction in stiffness.
“Technology is pivotal in the construction of the DBR22, with extensive use of carbon fibre throughout, and the use of 3D printing for the manufacture of a structural component,” commented Roberto Fedeli, Aston Martin, Chief Technical Officer. “As such, DBR22 showcases Aston Martin’s unique capabilities, with world-class design combined with an agile, intelligent approach to engineering and production. For a car that was designed to celebrate the ultimate bespoke customisation service, the engineering developments mean DBR22 truly has the dynamic theatre to match, ensuring the drive is just as addictive as it looks.”
Divergent Technologies revealed at the AMUG Conference that it has commenced work with more than three leading automotive OEMs, with many of the top ten biggest automotive companies in the world also in the pipeline. The company has also closed a $160m Series C round and invested in multiple SLM Solutions NXG XII 600 metal 3D printing systems in the last 12 months.
Lukas Czinger, Senior Vice President Operations at Divergent Technologies, commented on LinkedIn: “Very excited to see some of OEM programs come into the public light. The Divergent team has had the great pleasure of working with on [sic] the worlds [sic] great brands, Aston Martin, on existing and next generation production performance vehicles.”
