The automobile manufacturer Bugatti, together with its partners BENZ, HAIMER, Bionic Production and Vogt Engineering, implemented an absolutely prestigious project: Together, the companies succeeded in producing an additively manufactured brake caliper for a Bugatti Chiron in series production. It is the largest additively printed titanium component of its kind.
When the brake caliper in the Bugatti Chiron is used at speeds of up to 490.5 km/h, the recently set new world speed record, it has to take on considerable safety tasks. As a result, the highest demands are placed on component quality.
For the final processing of the functional surfaces such as piston chambers, seal seats and end positions for pistons and linings, BENZ and HAIMER developed a special slim-line angle head with a Duo-Lock interface. The angle head is equipped with a special adjustable support. In this way, optimal stability between the angle head and the milling machine can be achieved, which in turn has a positive effect on the machining results.
“At the moment, the milling operations with the angle head and the integrated Duo-Lock spindle are designed for 3,000 RPM. This is ideal for use at Bugatti and for processing the functional surfaces on the titanium additive part. In principle, however, angle heads of this design and size can also be driven at higher speeds, up to a maximum of 8,000 RPM.”
Christoph Zeller, technical manager and authorized representative, BENZ
Due to the limited space available when machining the functional surfaces of the brake calliper, it was not possible to integrate a modular quick-change system into the angle head. For this reason, the decision was made to use a very compact Duo-Lock direct mount. In addition, HAIMER designed a special milling tool with which all machining tasks can be carried out without changing tools. The available space could thus be optimally used.
Machining the trapezoidal grooves in particular posed a number of challenges for the project team. "In order for us to be able to implement the application at all, we ad to reduce the angle head from the standard height of around 50 mm to less than 40 mm, without compromising the performance of the product," says Christoph Zeller, describing the demanding task.
The final result is impressive: thanks to the know-how of all project partners, the prerequisites have now been created for the additively manufactured brake calipers for the Bugatti Chiron to be reliably finished in series in the future.
This project also emphasized that additive manufacturing and machining are not in contradiction.
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BENZ Tooling is one of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of components and systems for tool and machine tooling technology. The company employs about 300 people and is represented in over 30 countries worldwide. BENZ is part of the measuring and process systems division of Schenck and belongs to the Dürr Group.
