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3D Printing Innovator Drives Custom Trike to Land Speed Record
Stratasys ^ | 26 Dec. 2013 | Stratasys Staff

Posted on 01/06/2014 3:22:18 PM PST by null and void

Brian Klock, Founder and President of Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, set a new World Land Speed Record while driving a unique trike on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah.  Klock is well known for his innovative vehicle parts and motorcycle designs.

Brian Klerk on his way to setting a world speed record on a Triumph Rocket III

Brian Klock on his way to setting a world speed record on a Triumph Rocket III

The unique three-wheeler was based on a Triumph Rocket III Touring bike, a Carpenter Racing motor kit, and a Motor Trike conversion. This combination was able to achieve a top speed of 136 MPH at the recent speed trials.

3d printing, land speed record

Rear view of the Triumph Rocket III Trike

Since 2006, the Klock Werks team has set over 20 land speed records.  One of their most challenging and publicized victories was in the Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off, where they had only 10 days to build a custom bike. After being built, the bike was driven to and displayed at the 66th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally – where visitors voted it the best bike at the show. 3D printing with a Fortus 400mc Production System from Stratasys is credited with playing a major role in the successful rapid development of that bike.

Direct digital manufacturing with the Fortus 400mc gave us a major edge in the competition,” says Jesse Hanssen, previously a  mechanical engineer at Klock Werks (currently a Product Line Manager at Stratasys). “The [Fortus] FDM system enabled us to build anything we could imagine.

Klock Werks engineers designed the gauge pod, fork tube covers, headlight bezel, floorboard mounts, floorboard undercovers, and wheel spacer cover in SolidWorks. All of these parts were 3D printed in only five days from polycarbonate plastic. The cost of producing the parts with FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printing technology of the Fortus 400mc was less than a quarter of what it would cost to injection mold or cast them.

After winning the competition, the Klock Werks team also raced the bike at the Bonneville Salt Flats, where they set an AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) land speed record. According to Brian Klock:

… [this]  proves the durability of polycarbonate parts at 147 MPH.  Thanks to our design team and the team at Stratasys.

For more information on Klock Werks, visit  .


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: bonneville; brianklock; klockwerks; triumphrocketiii
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FYI. Yeah. It's a blog...
1 posted on 01/06/2014 3:22:18 PM PST by null and void
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To: null and void

was it 3d printed?

How long before we are holding races with 3d printed vehicles?


2 posted on 01/06/2014 3:23:03 PM PST by GeronL (Extra Large Cheesy Over-Stuffed Hobbit)
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To: AFPhys; AD from SpringBay; ADemocratNoMore; aimhigh; AnalogReigns; archy; ArrogantBustard; ...
3-D Printer Ping!


3 posted on 01/06/2014 3:25:14 PM PST by null and void (It is as if they all had one head. Too bad they donÂ’t all have one neck.)
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To: GeronL
was it 3d printed?

Parts were:

Klock Werks engineers designed the gauge pod, fork tube covers, headlight bezel, floorboard mounts, floorboard undercovers, and wheel spacer cover in SolidWorks. All of these parts were 3D printed in only five days from polycarbonate plastic.
How long before we are holding races with 3d printed vehicles?


4 posted on 01/06/2014 3:28:02 PM PST by null and void (It is as if they all had one head. Too bad they donÂ’t all have one neck.)
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To: null and void

5 posted on 01/06/2014 3:36:53 PM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: null and void

6 posted on 01/06/2014 3:38:16 PM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: Salamander

ping!


7 posted on 01/06/2014 3:38:35 PM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: ETL; Salamander

ping


8 posted on 01/06/2014 3:39:10 PM PST by null and void (It is as if they all had one head. Too bad they donÂ’t all have one neck.)
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To: null and void

A brave fellow at the helm I’d say.
Bonneville is quite a slippery surface and trikes are not known for their stability.


9 posted on 01/06/2014 3:40:08 PM PST by nascarnation (I'm hiring Jack Palladino to investigate Baraq's golf scores.)
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To: null and void

Is there a land speed record for dragging your butt? I may go for that.


10 posted on 01/06/2014 3:45:26 PM PST by Born to Conserve
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To: ETL

That is a pretty wild rendition of the American flag in that picture.

And where do they get off using DISK wheels with hub caps on a motorcycle? Everybody knows mag-type wheels would work much better....

This atrocity DESTROYS the beauty of truly engineered design by introducing discordant elements.


11 posted on 01/06/2014 3:46:00 PM PST by alloysteel (Those who deny natural climate change are forever doomed to stupidity. AGW is a LIE.)
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To: nascarnation

“A brave fellow at the helm I’d say.
Bonneville is quite a slippery surface and trikes are not known for their stability.”

With the right protective gear, that flat slippery surface is not so bad to fall on.


12 posted on 01/06/2014 3:48:30 PM PST by Born to Conserve
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To: null and void
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

13 posted on 01/06/2014 3:49:33 PM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: alloysteel

Was there a motorcycle in that picture? I’ll have to go back and look again. :)


14 posted on 01/06/2014 3:52:35 PM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: alloysteel

What flag?


15 posted on 01/06/2014 3:54:02 PM PST by Carriage Hill (Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading.)
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To: null and void
Buddy "My Mind Is Going Thru Them Changes" Miles

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16 posted on 01/06/2014 4:02:46 PM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: null and void

Who owns the land “Big Wheel” record?


17 posted on 01/06/2014 4:03:56 PM PST by DManA
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To: alloysteel

Flag? Wheels? Where?


18 posted on 01/06/2014 4:05:18 PM PST by null and void (It is as if they all had one head. Too bad they donÂ’t all have one neck.)
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To: DManA

Calvin.


19 posted on 01/06/2014 4:06:01 PM PST by null and void (It is as if they all had one head. Too bad they donÂ’t all have one neck.)
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To: null and void
I see what he means now. I didn't notice at first.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

20 posted on 01/06/2014 4:09:28 PM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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