CASE STUDY: VisionVelo – 3D printed bicycle fenders
3D printing opens up new opportunities to create customized products that often cannot be achieved as effectively using traditional tools. VisionVelo, a Polish start-up created by Sławomir Gierek, meets the needs of the bicycle industry by taking advantage of the possibilities offered by 3D printing. It produces fenders, battery covers and various types of handles. What makes their products different from other products available on the market, and does it even pay off?
Passion for solving problems
Sławomir is first and foremost a passionate problem-solver, who, as he says about himself, has been interested in creating technical solutions for as long as he can remember. Another of his great loves is MTB – mountain biking – not only the sport, but also bicycle modification. VisionVelo was born from the combination of these two passions. The company focuses on identifying problems that trouble users, and then designing and manufacturing products that solve these problems. One of such problems is the lack of rear bicycle fenders on the market that are fitted “as from the factory” to individual bicycle frame models.
Challenge
One of the limitations of traditional technologies for the production of plastic elements, such as the injection method, is the high initial costs associated with the preparation of injection molds. This forces the production of a large quantity, which imposes a focus on the universality of the product, so that its production is profitable. Unfortunately, a universal product forces you to compromise, according to the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none”. Sławek set himself the goal of finding a technology that would enable the products to be closely matched to the customer’s needs, as well as the production in small quantities. 3D printing proved to be a hit. The machines are small and relatively inexpensive, and there are negligible upfront costs of the new product design process.
However, this technology also has its challenges. The biggest of them turned out to be the complicated shape of the fenders. This is due to the close fit to the shape of the frame or front shock absorber. The situation is not improved by the fact that the constructors of high-performance bicycle frames often do not provide for the installation of mudguards and very unconventional elements, such as cable routing holes, have to be used. It was necessary to find a way to print individual elements without supports in a sufficiently high quality. This was achieved by technically dividing the fenders into two parts, which are then assembled and screwed together.
Another problem was the choice of printing parameters. Individual elements of fenders or covers reach 30-50 cm in length, yet their thickness is less than 2 mm. For such large parts, a wider nozzle (0.6mm) and a higher layer were used to make a single print fit in a relatively short time. This in turn required compromises, non-standard parameters and hundreds of trials to achieve optimal quality and durability.
The final puzzle was the filament. After many tests, the choice fell on Fiberlogy PP or polypropylene. It proved to be the ideal combination of strength and stiffness with low dead weight and moisture resistance.
Advantage
VisionVelo competes with well-known brands that rely on mass production, often in China. The advantage of the Polish start-up is the ability to produce products that meet even very specific customer requirements (including personalization) in small volumes.
3D printing allows for the production of components fully customized to individual bike models and designed to fit perfectly into the aesthetics and design style of the rest of the bike. In addition, the company often introduces innovative solutions borrowed from other industries.
Although for now VisionVelo creates accessories for only a few models of bicycles and bicycle shock absorbers, their products are already used in 32 countries, from Canada to New Zealand. They are also used by Pole Factory Racing – the factory team of Pole Bicycles, competing in the Enduro World Series bicycle races.
Another thing that makes the Polish start-up a preferred provider is their short turnaround time, which in some cases can be less than a week – from the idea submitted by the customer to the introduction of the product to the store.
Thanks to the use of 3D printing technology, the manufacturer has full control over the production process, can afford to bypass the beaten path and experiment with new materials and settings.
