Heat Treat Fringe Friday
Sometimes our editors find items that are not exactly “heat treat” but do deal with interesting developments in one of our four key markets: aerospace, automotive, medical, or energy. As we approach the weekend, today’s Heat Treat Fringe Friday, Best of the Web post focuses on an interesting development in the automotive industry.
It’s one of the worst experiences a proud car owner can experience–walking out to their beloved vehicle to discover all four wheels are gone. As alloy wheels and vehicle customization have grown in popularity, component theft has unfortunately become a lucrative side business. “Some alloy wheels can cost thousands to replace, but these unique rim nuts will stop thieves in their tracks. Making wheels more secure and offering more product personalization are further proof that 3D printing is a game-changer for car production,” says Raphael Koch, research engineer, Advanced Materials and Processes, Ford of Europe.
Ford engineers wanted to help customers find a solution, hence the advent of a theft resistant lug nut. The project was the result of a brainstorming session focused on finding applications for additive manufacturing within the company. In collaboration with additive manufacturing solutions provider EOS and software developer Trinckle, engineers at Ford have now developed unique locking wheel nuts using 3D printing technology. “We thought about using fingerprinting, or an iris scan or something that could actually modify the groove or curve of the lug nut,” says Michael Jan Galba, Head of Global Consulting & Manufacturing Engineering at EOS. “Trinckle proposed adapting an application they used in a completely different industry that utilized a voice wave curve.”
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