- APWORKS produced a lightweight high performance part for ORACLE Team USA with additive manufacturing which is on display at the new exhibition.
Taufkirchen, May, 2017: On time with the start of the 35th America’s Cup, the new exhibition of The Mariners’ Museum in Virginia opened its doors. Its focus: The America’s Cup history, exciting races and technological advances. One of the innovations which is on display focuses on additive manufacturing. APWORKS produced a lightweight forward organizer out of high strength alloy Scalmalloy® by Additive Printing, which can be seen in the long-term exhibit from now onwards.
The forward organizer is part of the system to control the wing. It is a highly complex part as it combines various functions into one, which makes it time-consuming in machining. APWORKS realized the production of the geometry in a few days compared to weeks with conventional machining, finally resulting in reduced costs. The forward organizer was designed for Additive Manufacturing and produced out of Scalmalloy®, a high strength aluminum alloy specifically developed for 3D printing by APWORKS.
Weight is a key parameter for these highly competitive boats that go up to nearly 50 knots (93kph). As such Scalmalloy® was another success factor for the forward organizer as it combines light weight with high strength. The result was a product that weighs 57% less than the conventional part.
Being on the edge of technological innovation, the 3D printed forward organizer is on display at the “Speed and Innovation” exhibition about the America’s Cup. The America’s Cup is the world’s premier yachting race, a high-stakes “win-at-all-costs” international sailing competition. As the world’s oldest international sporting competition, predating modern Olympics, the world’s best sailors and most advanced boats have competed for the coveted silver trophy since 1851.
The Mariners’ Museum and Park, host of the exhibition is located in Virginia, United States and is one of the largest maritime museums in North America. A steward of one of the world’s most extensive maritime collections, The Mariners’ Museum and Park is committed to the preservation and conservation of more than 32,000 objects and several million library and archive materials.
About AIRBUS APWORKS GmbH
As a 100 % subsidiary of Airbus, AIRBUS APWORKS GmbH makes proven aerospace technologies accessible in many different industries. Focusing on metal 3D printing (additive manufacturing) the company covers the entire value chain, from optimized component and part design to the choice of suitable materials, from prototyping to qualified serial production. Customers in robotics, mechanical engineering, automotive, medical technology and aerospace benefit from functionally integrated and optimized parts with reduced weight and lead time. 3D printing also allows much more complex geometries than were previously possible. AIRBUS APWORKS GmbH has been located on the Ludwig Bölkow Campus in the south of Munich since 2013.
About America’s Cup
The America’s Cup is the competition for the oldest trophy in international sport and dates back to 1851. Over that time, teams representing just four nations (the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland) have won the trophy in over 160-years of competition. It is one of the greatest challenges in all of sport. The 35th America’s Cup will be raced in June 2017 on the Great Sound of Bermuda.
AIRBUS APWORKS GmbH
Willy-Messerschmitt-Straße 1
82024 Taufkirchen / Germany
www.apworks.de
Source: AIRBUS APWORKS GmbH
