3d-printed titanium
Additive manufacturing delivers high-precision, long-lasting components – and unlocks new potential for innovative design.
from powder to precison
The lever
The lever is crafted from titanium, a material known for its exceptional fracture toughness and corrosion resistance. As a go-to choice in highly demanding industries, such as medical technology and aerospace, the material offers significant advantages. Thanks to its higher strength compared to aluminum, less material is needed to achieve the same physical performance. While titanium isn’t inherently lighter than aluminum, the use of additive manufacturing enables the design of a lever that’s both lighter and stronger overall.
Inside, partially hollow printed structures further reduce weight while maintaining impressive strength. Titanium doesn’t react to moisture or sweat, so there’s no need for extra coatings to protect against corrosion.
The contact surface features a unique honeycomb structure that’s impossible to create with traditional machining. This design not only reduces weight, in combination with the optimized surface texture it also provides a grippy texture for secure handling, even without gloves.
THE ADVANTAGES OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
In additive manufacturing, fine metal powder is applied layer by layer and selectively melted using a laser or electron beam to create the desired geometry. The key advantage of the powder process is the high level of detail and the ability to realize complex, intricate structures or hard-to-reach geometries, such as cavities or internal channels, without the need for additional tools or support structures. Additive manufacturing allows us to produce highly precise, durable components and bring innovative design ideas to life. For us, it is particularly exciting to create new shapes that would be impossible to realize with traditional manufacturing techniques such as milling. Additionally, wall thicknesses can be precisely tuned to the stresses on the component, resulting in optimal stability with minimal weight.
Another highlight is the material efficiency. Only the powder needed for the printing process is melted, minimizing waste and making production more efficient. Excess powder can be reused after the printing process with no further processing required whereas support structures can be recycled.
the story behind
THE STARTING SIGNAL
The vision was clear: a 3D-printed titanium brake lever for our Piccola pump.
Together with TRUMPF, we worked on new designs and optimal manufacturing processes to develop the first 3D-printed brake lever. A year later, we presented a conceptual design study at Eurobike and revealed the result. The positive feedback from the industry impressed us and confirmed that this lever should not remain just a prototype. Our goal was to fully exploit the potential of additive manufacturing and bring the brake lever into production.
FROM CONCEPT TO REALITY
After presenting the 3D-printed titanium brake lever at Eurobike, it entered the next development phase. Having outgrown its early stages, we were now standing on our own feet and faced new challenges: building a production chain, further developing and perfecting our prototype, and going through intense testing to ensure the lever met the strictest standards – both in the lab and on the trail. The lever is manufactured in Germany, ensuring the highest precision and quality in production. All of these steps led to the lever becoming what it is today.
