3D Printed Velocity Stacks
Discussion
OK, I may get flamed for this but just thought people might like to see a new approach to tuning. Basically the idea is to produce an adjustable length system that people can use on a rolling road - then order a stack that's exactly the right size for their required torque/power curve. It's not 100% complete yet, but I'm getting there bit-by-bit....
I made them for my zx9r carbs but thought maybe they could be commercial.
This is being made possible by the ever falling price of 3D printing and the ever improving materials that they can print with. And this is just one application of bespoke manufacture, where the possibilities must be pretty much limitless.
Anyway please have a look
Moderator edit: no advertising please.
I made them for my zx9r carbs but thought maybe they could be commercial.
This is being made possible by the ever falling price of 3D printing and the ever improving materials that they can print with. And this is just one application of bespoke manufacture, where the possibilities must be pretty much limitless.
Anyway please have a look
Moderator edit: no advertising please.
Edited by jeremyc on Tuesday 23 December 13:52
Yeah, its possible to do that but it would be a lot more complicated - like having to take an rpm signal out of the megajolt and using that signal to operate a motor that would vary the length of the induction tract. A circular tract and a stepper motor at its centre might be the best way to do this. Did the Lotus Carlton do this????
TBH I would love to do this, but maybe another day!
TBH I would love to do this, but maybe another day!
That is cool!
What machine are they printed on and with what material?
Has 3D printing moved on to being able to manufacture something durable like this? Last time I looked into all this, the printed items could be made to look nice but could be quite weak in the sheer plane (delaminate across the printed layers), and also the material might not hold up to weather too well.
Glad to see that technology has moved on - would be good to hear more!
What machine are they printed on and with what material?
Has 3D printing moved on to being able to manufacture something durable like this? Last time I looked into all this, the printed items could be made to look nice but could be quite weak in the sheer plane (delaminate across the printed layers), and also the material might not hold up to weather too well.
Glad to see that technology has moved on - would be good to hear more!
They are printed on commercial Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) machines in Holland and the material is a durable Nylon. It's quite astonishingly tough even when printed in thin sections. You are probably thinking of early fused deposition modelled (FDM) machines that produce visibly layered models - this type of manufacture can suffer from shearing like you say.
It used to be that 3D printing would only give you prototypes, then you would have to resort to moulding or CNC or whatever to produce functional parts. This is changing at an ever increasing rate and bespoke manufacture will start to become mainstream rather than just part of a design process.
It used to be that 3D printing would only give you prototypes, then you would have to resort to moulding or CNC or whatever to produce functional parts. This is changing at an ever increasing rate and bespoke manufacture will start to become mainstream rather than just part of a design process.
PersonaNonGrata said:
They are printed on commercial Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) machines in Holland and the material is a durable Nylon. It's quite astonishingly tough even when printed in thin sections. You are probably thinking of early fused deposition modelled (FDM) machines that produce visibly layered models - this type of manufacture can suffer from shearing like you say.
It used to be that 3D printing would only give you prototypes, then you would have to resort to moulding or CNC or whatever to produce functional parts. This is changing at an ever increasing rate and bespoke manufacture will start to become mainstream rather than just part of a design process.
Your post just goes to show how out of touch I am with it all! Fantastic work! Will follow this with interestIt used to be that 3D printing would only give you prototypes, then you would have to resort to moulding or CNC or whatever to produce functional parts. This is changing at an ever increasing rate and bespoke manufacture will start to become mainstream rather than just part of a design process.
Thanks for taking the time to explain
Probably. I remember watching a fantastic video on YouTube with Keith Duckworth talking about the development of the DFV. The video showed the wood shop where people were carving out blocks of wood in the shape of inlet and exhaust ports for flow testing.
I imagine cylinder head design has really benefited form the 'rapid prototyping' phenomenon.
I imagine cylinder head design has really benefited form the 'rapid prototyping' phenomenon.
Jimmyarm said:
Certainly interesting.
Has anyone started 3d printing cylinder heads for flow testing yet ? (Have I just given an idea that would make me million away ?!)
er, yeah, about 15 years ago we used to CNC plastic tooling block for port flow tests. These days, there's no point, it's all done "Virtually" in CFD..........Has anyone started 3d printing cylinder heads for flow testing yet ? (Have I just given an idea that would make me million away ?!)
PersonaNonGrata said:
I was just thinking today that I could 3D print some stacks for my ZX9 V8 (once it's finished) as I was previously looking at the ones available from a guy on locostbuilders which look nice but these 3D prints should be a lot cheaper and I could adjust the size to suit.
Ideally I'd like to go for two pairs of stacks to try and smooth out the torque curve, which with your design I could do a number of runs until I worked out the best combination.
Send me a message if you are interested in selling a set (although I won't need them for a while as I'm still machining!)
obr said:
These look great.
I was just thinking today that I could 3D print some stacks for my ZX9 V8 (once it's finished) as I was previously looking at the ones available from a guy on locostbuilders which look nice but these 3D prints should be a lot cheaper and I could adjust the size to suit.
Ideally I'd like to go for two pairs of stacks to try and smooth out the torque curve, which with your design I could do a number of runs until I worked out the best combination.
Send me a message if you are interested in selling a set (although I won't need them for a while as I'm still machining!)
Message SentI was just thinking today that I could 3D print some stacks for my ZX9 V8 (once it's finished) as I was previously looking at the ones available from a guy on locostbuilders which look nice but these 3D prints should be a lot cheaper and I could adjust the size to suit.
Ideally I'd like to go for two pairs of stacks to try and smooth out the torque curve, which with your design I could do a number of runs until I worked out the best combination.
Send me a message if you are interested in selling a set (although I won't need them for a while as I'm still machining!)
Optical illusion: there is acres of space between the trumpet mouths and bulkhead.
Of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating - but when I get the adjustable feature engineered fully I just cant see how these can fail to give the best possible torque/power curve. And for me that may not be top end power, but a good spread of torque on account of the car having a standard set of gear ratios.
Everything is there for a good result - the bellmouths follow Vizard parameters for good flow rates (based on size of rollback radius and 'completeness' of that radius), and the system will be adjustable in terms of induction length (when I get some time to finish the design), so resonant frequencies can be tuned. I can even set the two inner cylinders induction lengths to different values so as to encourage torque spread.
Of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating - but when I get the adjustable feature engineered fully I just cant see how these can fail to give the best possible torque/power curve. And for me that may not be top end power, but a good spread of torque on account of the car having a standard set of gear ratios.
Everything is there for a good result - the bellmouths follow Vizard parameters for good flow rates (based on size of rollback radius and 'completeness' of that radius), and the system will be adjustable in terms of induction length (when I get some time to finish the design), so resonant frequencies can be tuned. I can even set the two inner cylinders induction lengths to different values so as to encourage torque spread.
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