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A (Mostly) 3-D Printed Race Car Hits 140 Km/h

An anonymous reader writes with an excerpt from a story describing the efforts of a 16-person team called "Group T" competing in the Formula Student 2012 challenge. They've created a car called the "Areion," described as the world's first 3D printed race car. "The Areion is not wholly 3D printed but most of it actually is. It was tested on Hockenheim race circuit and went from zero to 100km/h in just four seconds. Maximum speed Areion achieved on the same circuit was 141km/h." The car features an electric drive train and bio-composite materials, and was created using a printing system called Materialise.

94 comments

  1. Why the blogspam? by allanw · · Score: 5, Informative
    1. Re:Why the blogspam? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      assholes like you are why it's so hard to make a few bucks these days.

    2. Re:Why the blogspam? by Trepidity · · Score: 2, Funny

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    3. Re:Why the blogspam? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      you mean making money off of someone else's work and research - yeah... twat

    4. Re:Why the blogspam? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      HAHAHAHA.

      Stop leeching and create something original of value.

    5. Re:Why the blogspam? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why don't you quit being a parasite and actually PRODUCE something ?

      Then you won't need to whine about losing money you never deserved in
      the first place.

    6. Re:Why the blogspam? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's not an article -- it's a press release. It's also missing several photos. In particular, it doesn't have the side view that the blog post has.

    7. Re:Why the blogspam? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, this is the actual article: bragging about their 3d printing technology being used to do things that 3d printers are good at.

      Which is not making cars, but making cool low-strength high-complexity components for cars.

    8. Re:Why the blogspam? by jrmech · · Score: 1

      When the blog says that the FSAE car makes "thrust with the nosecone" you know the author doesn't have a clue what he's talking about....

    9. Re:Why the blogspam? by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      But it's got shark skin, man!

      --
      +1 Disagree
  2. First 3d printed comment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    'nuff said.

  3. Next print a spacecraft by DevotedSkeptic · · Score: 1

    Who has the 3d models for an ion drive?

    --
    Chief Thinker www.devotedskeptic.com
    1. Re:Next print a spacecraft by Sulphur · · Score: 4, Funny

      Who has the 3d models for an ion drive?

      Ionic Breeze?

    2. Re:Next print a spacecraft by DevotedSkeptic · · Score: 1

      i don't think an ion breeze would do much in the way of reaching the stars but you may be able to print one of those as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_drive

      --
      Chief Thinker www.devotedskeptic.com
  4. slashdot computer analogy by vlm · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In honor of it being a slashdot car story, instead of providing the official slashdot car analogy, I'll provide the slashdot computer analogy to the story.

    "Its like 3-d printing a computer case, and then having the media report the entire computer was printed, circuit boards and all".

    Its just the exterior of the car that was printed, not the motor or the wheels or whatever. This is not to belittle the accomplishment... for 3-d printing that's a very large component to print, and also the stereotype of 3-d printed stuff being weak seems to be finally going away....

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    1. Re:slashdot computer analogy by mirix · · Score: 1

      Yep, printing the body is neat, but wake me up when they print the drivetrain.

      --
      Sent from my PDP-11
    2. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In honor of it being a slashdot car story, instead of providing the official slashdot car analogy, I'll provide the slashdot computer analogy to the story.

      "Its like 3-d printing a computer case, and then having the media report the entire computer was printed, circuit boards and all".

      Well, no, the entire media didn't do that. Even the Slashdot summary doesn't do it.

    3. Re:slashdot computer analogy by SeaFox · · Score: 1

      Its just the exterior of the car that was printed, not the motor or the wheels or whatever.

      Well I'm not that impressed now. 3D printed body panels... oooooo.

    4. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Smidge204 · · Score: 2

      "Its like 3-d printing a computer case, and then having the media report the entire computer was printed, circuit boards and all".

      There are people working on that if you were curious...

      =Smidge=

    5. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL.I *knew* it.

      The FAIL is seriously strong in that announcement.

    6. Re:slashdot computer analogy by DerekLyons · · Score: 3, Informative

      In honor of it being a slashdot car story, instead of providing the official slashdot car analogy, I'll provide the slashdot computer analogy to the story. "Its like 3-d printing a computer case, and then having the media report the entire computer was printed, circuit boards and all".

      Except the circuit board is a major functional component of a computer. What was printed was more like the decorative bezel on the front of the case... all the weight and stress bearing components being of more conventional manufacture.
       

      also the stereotype of 3-d printed stuff being weak seems to be finally going away....

      You may not realize it, but racers aren't street cars - racers have frames that carry all the weight/stress.thrust and roll cages that protect the driver. The shell is pretty much decorative.

    7. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Dahamma · · Score: 1

      And not only that, calling this a "race car" is kind of a joke, too. If you look at it, it's not much bigger than a Kart and definitely not as fast (some of those things can get up to 250+ km/h!)

    8. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      also the stereotype of 3-d printed stuff being weak seems to be finally going away

      ...not at 87 mph, it's not.

    9. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      3d printed stuff _is_ weak. They took all the components that don't have to be strong and used a 3d printer for them.

    10. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, no, the entire media didn't do that. Even the Slashdot summary doesn't do it.

      Well yeah, it actually did. Since when is the body and side pods "most" of a car?

      The Areion is not wholly 3D printed but most of it actually is.

    11. Re:slashdot computer analogy by WillHirsch · · Score: 2

      the stereotype of 3-d printed stuff being weak seems to be finally going away....

      It's not a monocoque... this bodywork is just bolted onto a steel spaceframe. It's made from a polymer resin, so in some respects you could say 3D printing has caught up making things out of plastic, but there's not a great deal of load on these panels to stress it.

    12. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      what he said

    13. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've competed in FSAE and everyone else is making their bodies out of carbon fiber. Many have their molds CNC machined, 3d printing seems like it would make for a part that is many times heavier and not as resistant to impacts.

    14. Re:slashdot computer analogy by tgd · · Score: 1

      This is not to belittle the accomplishment... for 3-d printing that's a very large component to print, and also the stereotype of 3-d printed stuff being weak seems to be finally going away....

      Its okay to belittle it... only the marketing department at the company selling the printer would consider that much of a savings.

      Anyone who has built a car from the ground up will tell you the body is the easy part. And in a car that is a shell-over-space-frame, a non-critical part.

    15. Re:slashdot computer analogy by Brianwa · · Score: 1

      They did print the uprights with Titanium EBM, but the article neglected to mention it.

  5. The Areion is not wholly 3D printed but... by Osgeld · · Score: 1

    the article dances around it but it just sounds like the body shell was 3d printed, so when they say "most of it actually is" they really mean "the biggest part you see is"

    1. Re:The Areion is not wholly 3D printed but... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 2

      Yeah, I'd argue most of the car wasn't 3-D printed at all, since they didn't print the engine, drive train, or tires. Whether or not the seat was printed is left up in the air.

      The fact that it's a tiny race car isn't particularly relevant - it's the size of the print job that's interesting. But really, it's no more impressive than if they'd 3-D printed a dining room table.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    2. Re:The Areion is not wholly 3D printed but... by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      My rule: The bits that you could make out of wood or papier mache don't count when evaluating what proportion was 3d printed.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  6. Bah, this is pointless by sribe · · Score: 4, Funny

    Print me my goddamn flying car that I was promised, then I'll be impressed!

    1. Re:Bah, this is pointless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, you'll have one soon. Just smaller in size.

  7. 141km/h is nice and al... by Nutria · · Score: 0, Troll

    but what suburban American families need is a 6 passenger station wagon/minivan that goes 450 km on a single charge, at speeds ranging from 0 to 120 km/h.

    Using batteries that maintain their performance for 10 years (which is how durable modern IC engines are).

    --
    "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
    1. Re:141km/h is nice and al... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, and the Wright Flyer couldn't fly from Paris to New York in 8 hours. What's your point? It's called progress, how about you pull your head out of your ass and acknowledge the accomplishment for what it is instead of shitting on everything that doesn't fulfill your need for instant gratification.

    2. Re:141km/h is nice and al... by the_B0fh · · Score: 2

      What progress? Electric engines have been done. This is just a damned shell, albeit with some nice features.

      Fake headlines to pull you in. Fuck that shit.

    3. Re:141km/h is nice and al... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We need a new class of car - four rows of seating, two seats wide in a kammback like the Prius. The reduced frontal area would allow for lower drag, so even if it wasn't a hybrid, it'd get great highway mpg. It's a mix of the SUV and station wagon.

  8. Great, another 3D fanfest circle jerk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Headline: The world's first 3D printed XYZ!!

    Reality: Well, only one tiny part was 3D printed.

  9. Take that MPAA! by tommituura · · Score: 5, Funny

    Very soon now, I WILL download a car!

    1. Re:Take that MPAA! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It appears that they have beaten you to it.

    2. Re:Take that MPAA! by Superdarion · · Score: 3, Funny

      Not if the VIAA (Vehicle Industry association of america) has a say in it!

    3. Re:Take that MPAA! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah! And all you need is a room-sized printer worth about 50 times the price of a new car! Take THAT corporate America!

    4. Re:Take that MPAA! by neonKow · · Score: 1

      If it's not economical, you're not pirating enough. Not enough cars, and not expensive enough cars.

    5. Re:Take that MPAA! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And I suppose you'll be 3D printing all the oil and energy required to fuel this bonanza of pirated cars in the future?

    6. Re:Take that MPAA! by calmofthestorm · · Score: 3, Funny

      We'll just store the oil and energy in the cloud. The automotive industry has been ripe for disruption for a long time.

      --
      93rd rule of Slashdot: No matter how obvious my sarcasm is, my comment will be taken seriously by someone.
    7. Re:Take that MPAA! by Amouth · · Score: 1

      The funny thing about them saying you wouldn't download a car, is that the design of cars can't be copyrighted.. its an industry where you can copy anything you see design wise.

      --
      '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
  10. Let Me Know When The Printer Can Print Itself Out by zenlessyank · · Score: 0

    Until a model can print a copy of itself out, then it is just another molding/milling machine. It IS interesting to watch the progress in this field though. It is just the fact we are in the early stages of this new tech, and as such, are witnessing the first wood and fabric airplane so to speak. Can't wait for the Raptor model of this tech!

  11. So its body panels only... by bdrees · · Score: 1

    Any crashtest results at 140kph?

    1. Re:So its body panels only... by rbrausse · · Score: 1

      afaik no one crash-tests vehicles at 140 km/h [at least under defined conditions, real-world crash"tests" are a different topic...]

  12. The short wheelbase looks funny by Bartles · · Score: 2

    Anyone know why this design decision was made? Is it because the area in front of the console is the only place tall enough to place shocks and springs, while still having room for the drivers legs?

    1. Re:The short wheelbase looks funny by Brianwa · · Score: 3, Informative

      It's because Formula Student courses are extremely tight and curvy. A shorter wheelbase gives you a smaller rotational inertia, which means you can enter and exit corners faster. This comes at the expense of high speed stability, and indeed most FSAE/FSC cars get quite unstable above 90mph.

      On top of that, a shorter car is a lighter car, and every gram counts on a race car.

  13. Good Grief... by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I know this is a silly question, but what exactly is it that these so-called Slashdot "editors" actually do? Given the never ending inaccurate summaries, the summaries with all the grammatical elegance of grade-school assignment, the summaries that are essentially just the first paragraph of the story, the summaries that reference rip-off web blogs designed for noting more than soaking up page views while that actual source is some other web site entirely... What exactly do the "editors" actually do?

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    1. Re:Good Grief... by GNUALMAFUERTE · · Score: 4, Funny

      Editors? Where have you read that we have edit ... wait, damn!

      Sorry, that was a mistake. We meant to say this site is run by redditors. We hired an entire team of them. We couldn't get slashcode to actually autosubmit the stories, since our coders are lazy, so we needed some cheap labor to do it. The cheapest we could find was redditors. So essentially we pay them a (very small) salary to go on reddit all day long, taking small breaks to log into /.'s admin panel and randomly approve stories. We are currently teaching very basic english to a group of illegal Mexicans. As soon as they are at the level of our current editors (that is, speaking a grand total of 25 words), we'll replace them, and you'll immediately see a noticeable improvement in the quality of our stories.

      So, redditors, sorry for the inconvenience. We just asked our redditors to correct the mistake in our FAQ and change editors to redditors, but they flipped us the bird and went back to /r/gonewild. You'll just have to wait until we get our mexicans ready.

      Sincerely,
      Kenneth Langone
      CEO - Geeknet, Inc.

      --
      WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
    2. Re:Good Grief... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I figure it's part of the job to play dumb so that slashdotters aren't intimidated by erudite, thoughtful editorial content and instead can feel smugly superior to the story submitters and editors. Just think: if we had to actually read s multi-page article that is largely technically correct, in order to find a few minor issues to complain about - that would be too much effort for us, wouldn't it? It's a lot easier when we can find the errors to nitpick right there in the summary, without thinking too hard about it.

      The job of the editors is to find the stories and summaries that are most likely to elicit a flamewar, and present it in the most low-brow manner they can think of. The success of slashdot shows that the formula works. It's essentially a tabloid for nerds.

    3. Re:Good Grief... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not to mention to get their facts straight. Group T is actually a Belgian college for Engineering. They also participate at the annual solar challenge race, so they have quite a bit of experience building experimental cars. Also Materialise is a company that sells 3D printing systems.

    4. Re:Good Grief... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Their job is to draw as many eyeballs to the site as possible. Are you more likely to look at "3-D Printed Car" or "3-D Printed Car Body"? Enough Said.

    5. Re:Good Grief... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Why was this modded funny?

    6. Re:Good Grief... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why are you a homosexual?

  14. Group T by ByteSlicer · · Score: 1

    the efforts of a 16-person team called "Group T"

    Actually Group T is the name of an engineering division of KU Leuven (T=technical). This makes it sound like they made up some team name.

    1. Re:Group T by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually it's not a division of KU Leuven. It is an "engineering college" that was totally independent before (when I was a student there) but in a reorganisation of Belgian higher education system over the recent years to allign with the Bologna declaration all colleges had to associate with a University. So Groep T is now a member of the "KU Leuven Association" which includes 13 institutions of higher education.

    2. Re:Group T by ByteSlicer · · Score: 1

      You're right, of course. I was sort of simplifying for the international crowd, who might have heard of KUL. There is so much collaboration between Group T and KUL, sharing facilities and professors, working together on the same projects, that Group T can be regarded by the outside world as a part of KUL. At least in spirit, that is. The administration is still mostly independent, and will probably stay that way for quite some time.

    3. Re:Group T by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually Group T is higher eduction - but not university - and is part of the KU Leuven university group.
      Materialise is a company specialising in 3D printing and started as a spin-off of the ESAT civil engineering department of that university IIRC.

  15. it looks like the mold was 3D printed by SuperBanana · · Score: 1

    It looks like the mold for the exterior body panels was 3-D printed, not the actual body panels themselves?

  16. MF Ratio by labnet · · Score: 2

    Team Photo: 1 Female... 21 Males. Don't girls like composite engineering?

    --
    46137
    1. Re:MF Ratio by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tell some womens studies students that, and they'll demand to be added to the team. You may or may not be able to bring them up to speed - composite engineering isn't for everyone - but you will at least be able to interact with a woman for a while.

    2. Re:MF Ratio by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >but you will at least be able to interact with a woman for a while.

      True, but ratio of M:F that have gone to bed with a women's studies student is about the exact opposite of the ratio of males to females in composite engineering.

    3. Re:MF Ratio by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Apparently not so lets force 10 females to do something they are not interested in the name of 'equality'.

    4. Re:MF Ratio by kootsoop · · Score: 1

      My sister is a lecturer (professor) in composite materials in Australia. Yes, they do!

      --
      "Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get" - Jerry Avins
    5. Re:MF Ratio by mehshoe · · Score: 1

      21 to 1 ratio might be normal for automotive engineers...In my Industry (open wheel motorsport) the ratio is more like 300 to 1. I don't have any links to any data, I've just worked in racing for a decade and have only met two female race engineers.

    6. Re:MF Ratio by mehshoe · · Score: 1

      Also, most students involved in this competition are in the Mechanical Engineering course. Maybe a few EE's mixed in (especially since it is electrical powered. Alot of the Composite people lean towards the solar powered car cometition.

  17. 3D Printing my foot! by EasySteam · · Score: 1

    This is another bogus slashdot article - Anyone examining the photos can clearly see the existance of Dozer contruction towers! Disproving the 3d printed construction of the car body... And the picture of the team clearly shows an individual (at the front) sitting cross legged on a Fraggle!

  18. 3D printers are great by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    I just wish the smelting furnace wasn't sold separately. Combine the two, and it's off to the races.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  19. Group T is their college, not their name by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Please note that the "Group T" is wrongly referenced in this article. Group T (or groep T in Dutch, http://www.groept.be/www/index.xml?set-lang=en ) is simply the name of the college/school where these team members are studying, and not a name they gave to their team. Thanks to rephrase the article to reflect this.

  20. Re:140 km/hr ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    wow look, a big twat!

  21. "You wouldn't steal a car" by russotto · · Score: 1

    ...yeah, but I'd copy their model files and 3D print my own.

  22. Re:140 km/hr ? by viperidaenz · · Score: 4, Funny

    Perhaps they were afraid of what would happen if they reached 88mph.

  23. you by jason777 · · Score: 1

    You wouldnt download a car would you?
    Fuck yeah I would!

  24. Yippie just over 85mph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow!

    That's over 25,721,784 fathoms per fortnight!

  25. Re:140 km/hr ? by Sique · · Score: 0

    You missed the point where this was a completely electric car.

    --
    .sig: Sique *sigh*
  26. inaccuracies by nstalkie · · Score: 1

    The blurb is full of inaccuracies. I actually live in the city where this car was created (Leuven - Belgium). "Group T" is a college, not a team.

    "Materialise" is not a program, but a company. I can look at their offices from where I work.

  27. Electric? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    what are the specs for the electric motor, battery tyype and location, etc?

    what's with the reference to "radiator"...is ir really gas-powered?

    1. Re:Electric? by Brianwa · · Score: 1

      It looks like they have a few specs on their website: http://www.formulagroupt.be/pages/car

      It doesn't mention their cooling system, but often these motors are oil or water cooled and have a radiator.

  28. Almost good enough for a time machine. by Kili · · Score: 1

    Topping out at 87.6133 MPH that's almost enough to make cheap time machines.

  29. Misleading by necro81 · · Score: 2

    The title and summary are misleading to the point of fraud. Here is a (not comprehensive) list of things that they didn't print:

    The frame (welded tubular steel, just like every other car in the competition)
    The wheels and tires
    The suspension, linkages, and steering
    The batteries
    The electric motor
    The cooling system
    The electronics and controls
    The driver

    What they did use 3D printing for was for the body panels, and probably some complex-shaped internal parts they didn't bother to highlight. But Formula teams have been using 3D-printing for various components (yes, even body panels) for upwards of a decade. Hats off to the team itself - nice car! And a nice big "give me a fucking break" to the submitter, editors, and Materialise PR.

  30. Re:140 km/hr ? by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 2

    ... but when he looked out the window, he saw they were only moving slowly.

    ... a dangerous driver who didn't look out of the window all along... especially when (attempting to) drive at speed

  31. Re:140 km/hr ? by JMJimmy · · Score: 1

    1) I drive my shitty little Echo 140km/h on the highway regularly. It's somewhere between 90 and 115 horsepower.
    2) Electric cars have been able to hit speeds higher than this since the early 90's

  32. I saw this car yesterday by drewm1980 · · Score: 1

    I live in Leuven, Belgium, where Group T is based, and they were showing off this car yesterday on the street. I didn't stop to look more closely since I've seen similar cars before, but I did wonder how the hell they made the patterned nose cone. It looked to me like it was injection molded, which seemed odd since a mold that big would be insanely expensive. Now I know better!

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  34. Would I pirate this car? by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

    Hell yes I would!

    Also remember when I said I wanted to 3D print a car's body panels and the responses ranged from "that's probably not a good idea" to "you're an idiot, 3D printing fanboy!" Well I am now engaging my smugface.

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  35. Re:140 km/hr ? by jrmech · · Score: 1

    You don't understand what "autocross" is, do you?

  36. Wait, until they can print out ... by zapyon · · Score: 1

    the driver as well. Which would basically mean they could print out a robot with a sufficiently strong computing unit inside. (Which would again mean I could print out my next laptop without UEFI built-in, yeah!).

    --
    I like my spaghetti with source.