https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/03...i-and-porsche/

In Bugatti's case, the brand turned to 3D printing to see if it could cut some weight from the front brake calipers on the Chiron hypercar. For the production Chiron, the eight-piston calipers are made from forged aluminum alloy, resulting in a component that weighs 10.8lbs (4.9kg). By comparison, the printed version weighs just 6.4lbs (2.9kg) but manages to have a higher tensile strength. Bugatti turned to Laser Zentrum Nord in Hamburg, Germany for the project.

"Laser Zentrum Nord is one of many scientific institutes with which we have developed very good cooperation over the years," Frank G?tzke, head of New Technologies in the Technical Development Department at Bugatti explained. "Thanks to the large number of projects completed, mainly for the aviation industry, the institute has comprehensive know-how, especially in the field of titanium processing, and offers mature technology."

Although you can't currently buy a Chiron that uses the 3D-printed caliper yet, the company is testing the process out on development mules before deciding whether to use it on the $2.9 million cars. "It was a very moving moment for the team when we held our first titanium brake caliper from the 3D printer in our hands," G?tzke said. "In terms of volume, this is the largest functional component produced from titanium by additive manufacturing methods. Everyone who looks at the part is surprised at how light it is?despite its large size. Technically, this is an extremely impressive brake caliper, and it also looks great."

In addition to brake calipers, Bugatti has been testing the technique out for other parts as well. "We have not only developed the world's largest titanium component produced by additive manufacturing but also the longest aluminum component to date made by 3D printing," he said, in reference to a 24-inch (63cm) windscreen wiper, which weighs half as much as one made via die-casting.

Bugatti's experience also highlights another advantage to additive manufacturing?its speed. "The goal is to let an engineer design a part and print it in the same day," said Greg Mark, CEO of Markforged Composites, a 3D-printer company based in Massachusetts. (In Bugatti's case, it takes about 45 hours to print a brake caliper.) "Tools take months; you take the world's hardest steel and use that to stamp things all day long," he said. "Instead of starting with a huge block, we start with an empty space, build what we want, and then use a CNC machine to do the last pass to finish it."