Specialized 3D Bikes

Those ultra-cool bikes from manufacturer Specialized made from carbon fibre just don't appear. They're designed very carefully - using 3D printing technology.

 

The process begins when Specialized engineers design a bike using a 3D modelling tool. Their objective is to produce something that not only is technically brilliant, but also looks good. The entire bike is modelled digitally before anything else happens. 

 

Then when the design is thought to be as good as possible, it's printed on a Dimension 1200 3D printer. At that point, they have in their hands a plastic model - the bike's frame, in life size actual dimensions. Strangely, the designers then go at the model with hand tools and material to add or subtract, refining to the final shape. This ensures both function and beauty are obtained. 

 

Be sure to watch the video that shows the rest of the manufacturing process, transforming the finished 3D model into a sleek carbon fibre frame. 

 

Via CozyBeeHive