The new TU Darmstadt racecar for the current Formula Student competition contains five ultralight 3D-printed components from Heraeus. A steering shaft bearing made out of a special aluminum alloy (AlSi10Mg) is nearly 50% lighter than the previous component. The new steering shaft bearing, designed and printed by Heraeus precisely to the specifications of the TU Darmstadt racing team, now weighs barely 300 grams while maintaining the same mechanical strength and stability.
“We completely redesigned the part and optimized it through simulations to achieve the maximum weight reduction. The combination of materials and construction expertise with printing know-how was crucial for reaching this ambitious goal,” says Tobias Caspari, head of Heraeus Additive Manufacturing.
For the new TU Darmstadt racecar, the Heraeus team also printed a total of four motor shafts for each wheel suspension, which are 50% lighter than their predecessors.
“The Formula Student is a good testing ground for our young development team, where they can test and optimize new designs and materials for additive manufacturing,” Caspari says.
