The look of a metallic blue sports car instantly captivate the eyes at the sight. At first glance, there is nothing strange about these Shelby Cobra car. However, after looking more closely and talk to the booth officer, then we realize the uniqueness of the car.
The sports car was not an ordinary car. When seeing it at the exhibition arena of the Climate Change Summit or Conference of Parties (COP) 21 in Le Bourget, Paris, France, on Sunday, December 7, 2015, turned out the car was made by the 3D printing technology.
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| The US Ministry of Energy shown off the replica Shelby Cobra that made by 3D Printing technology at the exhibition arena of the Conference of Parties (COP) 21 in Le Bourget, Paris, France. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1REPXeT) |
The technology was by created the US Ministry of Energy as part of the clean energy manufacturing technologies in the future.This sports car first shown at the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January 2015.
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| The Shelby Cobra replica 3D-printed electric car by ORNL debutted at the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1Gm1tbf) |
Briefly it can be described, if the regular cars manufactured in automotive plant which is equipped with a variety of production equipment and thousands of workers, but these 3D printing technology will print (and could make) the car in your own house.
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| The ORNL Shelby Cobra's cockpit. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1Gm1tbf) |
"Only by having the 3D-printer devices, you can create your own car like this in your home," said Alan L Liby who served as Deputy Director of Manufacturing Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
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| The ORNL Shelby Cobra took six weeks to create. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1Gm1tbf) |
According to Alan, to make a car with a system of 3D printing technology only takes six days to six workers. This technology is said to be clean energy due to "eliminate" the production impact of an automotive plant that is claimed to be the modern or as efficient as whatever.
"In the future, to make the automotive products do not need hundreds or thousands of workers. No need sophisticated devices and it does not take months to make the car. You only need a printing equipment, then so be the sports car," said Alan.
The car's entire frames and bodies are printed by the 3D printing technology and uses lightweight carbon fiber materials. "Although made of carbon fiber material, not steel, but the frame and body of this car is very strong and safe for the driver in case of collision in the car accident," he said.
Alan then compares the process of the car-making conventional tech with 3D printing technology. According to him, the average car produced automotive factories in America needs as many as 14,000 parts. While the car with 3D printing technology, only consisting of 100 parts. Ordinary car factories need hundreds of instruments with a long production line to produce a car. While 3D printing car, only need one printer. "Beside that, ordinary cars take five years since the design process to produce. With 3D printing technology, only took six weeks," he said again.
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