- The new version of Bicicletto, a high-tech electric bicycle, marks the beginning of a long-term manufacturing partnership between Materialise and Nuova Società Piemontese Automobili (SPA).
Leuven, Belgium and Torino, Italy – November 29, 2016. Bicicletto is an electric vehicle that turns mobility into an art, by blending the motorbike attitude and the bicycle spirit. Now with a major 3D-printed upgrade, Bicicletto is set to blur the lines of classic design and high-tech engineering even further. The upgrade is the first offering from the collaboration between Materialise NV (NASDAQ: MTLS), leader in Additive Manufacturing solutions and software, and Nuova SPA, historical Italian automotive brand, reborn in 2014. The new Bicicletto will feature additive manufactured end-use parts that make it lighter, faster and more cost-efficient to produce.
The automotive industry has been an early adopter of Additive Manufacturing and a major driver of growth for the technology ever since. As an e-bike, however, Bicicletto stands out in this group. “3D Printing was a major contributor to our R&D process, it has made production easier, and it’s also helping us bring down costs,” says Julianto Imprescia, CEO, Nuova SPA. “Bringing Additive Manufacturing to an already-running design, like the Bicicletto, can be challenging but dedicated collaboration helped us achieve it. Working with Materialise has been a gift, particularly with respect to having Materialise’s decades of additive manufacturing expertise at our disposal.”
SPA, a Torino-based brand with great presence in luxury and sport automobiles, together with military and industrial vehicles, has a long history dating back to 1906. Now focused on combining innovation and luxury, Nuova SPA designs e-bikes and electric vehicles with an iconic vintage-inspired style. Bicicletto in particular is a sleek electric bike with elements that evoke classic motorbikes.
“For Additive Manufacturing to bring end-use parts to a premium e-bike like this, it takes more than just 3D printing facilities. It takes dedicated post-production, rigorous quality control, and in-house engineering expertise,” says Alessio Esposti, Account Manager, Materialise Italy. “With this collaboration, we look forward to broadening the horizons of the automotive industry through Additive Manufacturing.”
This partnership will allow Nuova SPA to develop new projects both for two-wheeler and four-wheeler vehicles. In particular, 3D Printing will support the realization of an off-road electric bike, which could be considered a new version of Bicicletto, and of a quadricycle. For Materialise, the partnership provides an opportunity to continuously meet higher industry standards at its Certified Additive Manufacturing facility, and thereby strengthen the role of Additive Manufacturing in automotive production.
About Materialise
Materialise incorporates more than 25 years of 3D printing experience into a range of software solutions and 3D printing services, which together form the backbone of the 3D printing industry. Materialise’s open and flexible solutions enable players in a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, art and design, and consumer goods, to build innovative 3D printing applications that aim to make the world a better and healthier place. Headquartered in Belgium, with branches worldwide, Materialise combines the largest group of software developers in the industry with one of the largest 3D printing facilities in the world. For additional information, please visit: www.materialise.com.
About Materialise’s Manufacturing Division
Materialise Manufacturing empowers 3D printing customers, both rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing, to keep tight production deadlines and meet the quality standards of even the most demanding industries. The division’s designers and engineers work closely with customers to co-create new products and applications that make meaningful use of 3D printing. Two web platforms, Materialise OnSite for industrial orders and i.materialise for small businesses and consumers, offer easy access to one of the largest and most complete 3D printing facilities in the world. In addition, a certified manufacturing environment caters to customers who operate in highly regulated markets. For more information, please visit: http://manufacturing.materialise.com.
About Nuova SPA
Nuova Società Piemontese Automobili aims to retrace the steps taken by the manpower of the early ‘900 which with a pioneering spirit and desire for innovation made vibrant the birth of the first vehicles. Today, the new production processes together with the innovative technologies and materials applied to the propulsion of the vehicle, allow to pursue more competitive and attentive to the future goals. It has been chosen to focus both on the realization of unique vehicles, as pieces of absolute prestige and value, and on experimental projects, as laboratories of innovation and design. These values can be transmitted crosswise to projects by spreading our high quality expertise. A hybrid family will be also developed by carrying out an innovative product design process. Luxury and innovation will be able to coexist in the same vibrant environment: the “Nuova Società Piemontese Automobili”. For additional information, please visit: www.societapiemonteseautomobili.com.
Source: Materialise
