As fine and accurate as a spider's web, yet as stable as a solid steel structure and extremely light: components created by means of 3D printing offer a range of benefits, but they are complex to produce.
That is why they are mostly used in the aerospace industry.
However, Bugatti said this production technology is relevant on its shop floor.
The hyper sports cars Chiron Pur Sport and Chiron Super Sport 300+ are examples of Bugatti cars that use parts created by a 3D printer.
“Bugatti is all about French-style luxury and exceptional vehicles, but it’s also a brand that stands for innovative technology,” said Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann.
“In addition to the 8.0 litre 16-cylinder engine with 1,500PS, technical innovation is just as much part of our brand essence – such as our components made of titanium or a special alloy that are produced by 3D printing.”
The cover is the first visible part to be 3D-printed in metal that is officially approved for use on the roads.
The 22-cm long, 48-cm wide and 13-cm high trim cover at the rear of the Chiron Pur Sport weighs just 1.85kg including grille and bracket – some 1.2kg less than the cover on the Chiron.
Four 400-watt lasers print titanium at the same time to produce the component – the wall thickness at the thinnest point is just 0.4mm.
Around 4,200 layers of metal powder are stacked on each other and are then fused together.
“Wherever possible, we designed the trim cover for the Chiron Pur Sport with a single layer so as to further reduce weight,” says Nils Weimann, Head of Body Development at Bugatti.
“The minimal material thickness in multi-layer areas is made possible by its lattice structure – where the cavity is filled with numerous filigree struts. In this way, the walls provide stable support for each other during the construction process – enabling minimal use of material.
“We use a bionic honeycomb structure in the single-layer area to increase the surface rigidity of the walls. Even large components gain a high degree of surface stiffness,” said Weimann.
