BORN Motor: 3D printed motorcycle parts for time and cost savings

BORN Motor customizes high-quality deconstructed motorcycles and is using 3D printing for manufacturing final parts instead of traditional processes, saving €2,000 for each motorcycle modified.

Traditional processes are time-consuming, expensive for short runs of production and limits the engineers design freedom. The BCN3D Sigma is now part of the daily life at BORN Motor, empowering its engineers to create more complex parts with a fraction of the previous effort, time and money.

The automotive company BORN Motor Co., based on Calella, Barcelona, produces high quality deconstructed motorcycles. Besides customizing, BORN Motor Co. also designs limited editions and upgrade kits for motorcycles. Last but not least, as an industrial design studio, collaborates in the aesthetic design of several motorcycle manufacturers. Exclusivity and originality are distinctive features for the BORN Motor products’. Their design and activities follow a purpose and are strongly inspired by its surrounding individuals.

The challenge

Given the culture and concept of the company, BORN Motor use traditional manufacturing technologies, like laser cutting and CNC milling, or create custom pieces by hand. However, both options are time-consuming and expensive for short runs of production. In addition, such technologies limit the design freedom and don’t allow creating complex, custom pieces. Despite BORN Motor has contemplated investing in injection molds for certain parts, the low volume inherent to its business advice against it.

The solution

3D Printing has allowed BORN Motor to speed up his creative process, from the design to the manufacturing and testing stages. The team is now capable to iterate faster and get refined designs in a very straight-forward workflow. 3D printing also has allowed BORN Motor to overcome design limitations caused by the previous manufacturing technologies used. Thanks to the versatility that the BCN3D Sigma 3D printer offers, BORN Motor engineers now are able to fabricate end-use pieces made of different materials, such as Nylon, PET-G or ABS, depending on the final use of the part.

The result

3D printing is now part of the daily life at BORN Motor, empowering its designers to create more complex parts with a fraction of the previous effort, time and money. While before the staff were spending time in handcrafted components, now they can focus on higher added-value parts. 3D printing for internal or non-aesthetic parts has opened the door to new solutions and design strategies, enriching the Design process and the final outcome, while reducing the time-to-market and overall labor costs.

Cost reduction

Costs are affected by several factors: from size to function and geometry influence in the decision of which traditional manufacturing technology is ideal for every single custom part. The following table is based on the modification of a dash housing for a Honda CB25.

BORN Motor, by using 3D printing technologies, is able to fabricate customized parts for limited edition motorcycles quickly and affordably. Are you interested to find out what BCN3D Technologies can do for your business? Contact us at info@bcn3dtechnologies.com.