Steel frame bikes? It makes you think of the old days, of filigree pipes and of handmade one-off pieces for individualists. But steel doesn't have to be classic and old-school - Urwahn is the proof. The people of Magdeburg use 3D printing to process the traditional material into a high-tech product.
I start this article with a plea! Steel frames are great. I like the look, I like the ride and I like the idea of the sustainable frame material... So more steel frames please!
The Urwahn frames get their unique appearance and driving characteristics from steel nodes that are created in 3D printing. I find the combination and the process of creation exciting. A very classic material from which new forms can be elicited using a new technique; and the properties can also be changed or optimized.
We have prepared a lot of interesting facts for you in question-answer format, with numerous pictures and videos:
How does it work and wWhich technique is used?
The thin-walled connecting elements of our innovative Urwahn steel frame are manufactured using the latest 3D printing technology. Using the generative laser melting process (Selective Laser Melting (SLM)), the connecting elements are built up in layers from previously atomized metal powder. The individual metal layers are fused together using a laser. With 3D printing technology, we can drastically shorten the manufacturing process of our complex fasteners and do not need any expensive tools for production.
With the SLM process, we can achieve a very good surface quality, and it is well suited for high component complexity. Furthermore, high-volume components can be manufactured using the SLM process. The SLM process also offers many advantages from a sustainable perspective. For example, the recyclability of the powder is very high and there is optimal material utilization.
They say it took you five years to make a wheel using this technique. What were the difficulties?
That's right. As a passionate product developer and engineer for sports equipment, Sebastian Meinecke developed a special interest in puristic bicycles as early as 2011 with growing environmental awareness. Under the name "Sme Bicycles" he manufactured more than 60 commissioned bicycles for use in urban areas. With increasing experience and his university specialization in product development, Sebastian set himself the task of developing an innovative series bike for use especially in urban areas - the idea for Urwahn was born.
The development of the Urwahn Bike began in 2015 with the master's thesis of the developer of the Urwahn frame, Sebastian Meinecke, at the time of his master's thesis at the Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg. The phase-oriented process model of Integrated Design Engineering is taught there, which Sebastian used as a theoretical basis and is still used today at Urwahn for product development. In doing so, we focus specifically on the user and consistently analyze their everyday usage scenarios in order to ensure frustration-free and intuitive product use. In this research project, the development and testing of the frame structure took place and then the founding in 2017. Thanks to 3D printing, the Urwahn Bike could be realized without compromising on design and functionality.
In principle, each development step is accompanied by special difficulties. The development and subsequent certification of the frame presented Sebastian with extensive design issues, which were overcome through numerous prototype tests, simulations or optimization loops. Finding a suitable, uncompromising production process was also associated with great difficulties, because we as a company could not build on any basis. At that time, the 3D printing process was not yet used in the bicycle industry and even today other bicycle manufacturers only produce prototypes or individual parts in small series. (Exception: Bastion Cycles from Australia). The stamina and the financial security of the project and the personal maintenance have repeatedly presented us with challenges in the course of the project. The state of Saxony-Anhalt has created an excellent funding landscape for innovative companies, which unfortunately has been used by far too few. We have benefited greatly from this.
Which components come out of the 3D printer? Which not?
Our innovative frame concept consists of 3D-printed connecting elements (head tube connector, seat tube connector, monostay bend, belt port, bottom bracket and both dropouts) made of 1.2709 steel and deep-drawn CrMo steel tubes. These are married to one another by hand using welding technology (Platzhirsch). After the joining process, each joint is checked again and fine-tuned with a form-fitting fit. This gives all of our steel frames their unmistakable character and makes them appear to be made of one piece.
What advantages does this have over conventional production methods?
Will the end result be a different wheel than with the conventional production method?
The advantages of 3D printing lie in the new possibilities in the design and dimensioning of highly complex components, above all the organic frame design. Manufacturing such thin-walled and highly complex components as our frame parts was only possible with 3D printing. Without this manufacturing process, there would be no soft ride geometry with cushioning driving characteristics and no seamless, organic design language. The bend in the frame is not only visually appealing, but also generates a completely new and comfortable driving experience. In addition, cabling and saddle clamp can be discreetly hidden in the frame. Urwahn could start production immediately, since expensive production tools could be dispensed with. In this way, quick changes to the component geometries can be implemented from batch to batch, which can also make individual and customized production possible in the future. The 3D printing process made it much easier and faster to adapt our first Stadtfuchs model to the Platzhirsh e-bike. In future developments, we will benefit greatly from faster development cycles.
From an ecological point of view, the process is resource-saving compared to conventional processes because there is almost no waste. In fact, the process is not cheap. The frame costs of a primal frame exceed those of a standard frame made in Taiwan or China many times over. They are the main cost driver for all our bikes. 3D printing has developed significantly in recent years. We printed the first frame in 2015 and the machines have become much more efficient. We assume that production costs will decrease in the future, although we will not reach the level of global frame production, at least not in the foreseeable future.
Wo does the production of the bike take place?
Contrary to the industry standard, the Urwahn steel frame is produced entirely in Germany - from tube manufacture to frame construction, coating and final assembly in the in-house studio in Magdeburg. With every specimen released into the wild, we contribute to a symbiosis of profound environmental awareness, transparency and fair conditions for everyone involved. Since this sets us apart from other manufacturers, we have introduced the FAIR FRAME predicate to emphasize the holistic production of the Urwahn frame in Germany.
After painting the Urwahn bikes, assembly begins.
What do you think about Urwahn Bikes? What do you think of the product and the idea? Do we need people who will do things differently in the future? I think so. Producing regionally and products that are durable and recyclable, that's important.
If you want to read more about Urwahn, you will Read find what you are looking for:
https://www.velomotion.de/magazin/2020/02/urwahn-urban-bikes-stahl/