Alta Motors is an electric motorcycle brand from California. It is using the CLIP (Continous Liquid Interface Production Technology) technology from 3D printer manufacturer Carbon to 3D print road-ready motorcycle parts made from Carbon’s RPU material. This CLIP technology has the potential to 3D print items 10 times faster than the FDM 3D printers. Using this rapid technology, Carbon is now manufacturing electric motorcycles.
Alta Motors was launched with a vision to create the best electric motorcycle on the market, in 2010 by Marc Fenigsetin, Derek Dorresteyn, and Jeff Sand. The small startup made quick developments. Using 3D printing equipment, Alta could constantly make new parts without waiting days or weeks for them to arrive. But the company turned to Ohio-based 3D printing bureau The Technology House (TTH) for a 3D printing system capable of fabricating production-standard parts. There they discovered the CLIP additive manufacturing technology from Carbon.
The CLIP technology can also be used with high-quality resins. The 3D printing materials used are Rigid Polyurethane (RPU) and Elastomeric Polyurethane (EPU), for printing different parts. This technology allowed Alta Motors to manufacture one-piece components and parts that cannot be tooled. The company is now engaged in producing parts where each part performs the functions of multiple parts, a function which would improve the usability of the customers.
This year, former pro racer Josh Hill finished 4th while riding an Alta Motors Redshift 3D printed electric motorcycle in the Red Bull Straight Rhythm race. This result put Alta firmly in the spotlight and by the end of the race, experts who had dismissed the electric bike, started taking the Alta Motors as a serious competitor.
3D printing has paved a bright future for electric motorcycles and other vehicles. As per Alta Motors, the vehicles will see a widespread transition to electric vehicles.
Source: 3ders.org