Video: Charge 3D printed titanium dropouts being made

road.cc had an exclusive first look the 3D printing process being used by Charge Bikes in this video last summer, and today Charge have edited their own video showing how EADS Innovation Works, the corporate research centre for the EADS group, produce the dropouts from a pile of titanium dust. It's fascinating stuff.

In this video, it's Charge'sNick Larsen, takes us around the facility, and chats to Andy Hawkins from EADS about the process and the benefits over traditional fabrication methods. The dropouts in question are being used in Charge's latest titanium cyclo-cross frame, and because of the high cost of the dropouts it's a very limited run, just 50 being initially produced.

3D printing, or additive layer manufacturing to give it the proper name, starts out with a fine layer of titanium powder, on which a precision laser draws an outline, melting the layer. This process is repeated until a 3D object rises magically from the dust. But better than magic because no smoke and mirrors are involved. Very much the coming thing it is (as Yoda might say) so much so that we've got another 3D bike part printing almost done and dusted and coming your way soon.