3D printing is an incredible technology but 3D printing in titanium just boggles the mind.
HRE wheels have teamed up with GE Additive to develop prototype 3D printed titanium wheels, that will hit the market in the near future.
To show off this new offering, HRE put together a bunch of renderings using a McLaren P1 as the subject and as you can see, the wheels have an intricate spoke design as part of their six-piece construction.
The wheels are made using a process called “Electron Beam Melting,” which uses an electron beam to fuse titanium powder together. Like “normal” 3D printing, the finished product is made up of layer upon layer of the fused titanium.
Of course, the process requires extensive machining, but bonding the surfaces together actually requires less work than expected. The finished wheels don’t need extra coating either, because titanium isn’t prone to corrosion. Finally, the titanium wheel center is fitted onto a carbon fibre rim using titanium fasteners.
Will it become the future of alloy wheel manufacturing? Who knows but it is very impressive. If this does not quite meet your taste or budget browse more aftermarket wheels that will suit you better.
