3D Printed Titanium Alloy Racing Safety Structure Achieves Success, Protecting Drivers’ Lives
During the recent Bommarito Automotive Group 500 race, a thrilling high-speed collision caught everyone’s attention. Two race cars collided violently during an intense competition, with one Chevrolet car flipping over and sliding on its roof along the asphalt, creating dazzling sparks. Fortunately, the driver was not seriously injured, thanks to the key contributor to driver safety, the 3D printed Aeroscreen cockpit safety device.
Since its debut in 2020, the Aeroscreen has become an essential safety feature for NTT INDYCAR series road and street racing cars. Designed by Red Bull Advanced Technologies, it features a 3D printed titanium alloy frame combined with a laminated polycarbonate bulletproof windshield, creating a robust protective barrier for drivers. Its function is similar to the Halo crash protection system used in F1 racing, providing reliable head protection during high-speed driving and unexpected collisions.
Looking back at the development history of the Aeroscreen, the initial design used titanium alloy casting, but due to the long production cycle, it could not meet the urgent demands of the races. Therefore, the team adopted the EOS M400 – 4 laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D printer to manufacture the frame, successfully solving the time issue. The first generation Aeroscreen (version 1.0) frame was welded from five 3D printed parts and withstood an impact force of 34,000 pounds during strict pre-race testing. Its bulletproof windshield also survived an impact from a 17.3-pound object at a speed of 220 miles per hour, proving its safety.
Last year, INDYCAR launched the upgraded version 2.0 of the Aeroscreen, achieving significant performance breakthroughs. Not only was the weight reduced from 18.9 pounds in version 1.0 to 14.5 pounds, but the newly topologically optimized 3D printed titanium alloy frame maintained the same strength as the original version. The upgraded Aeroscreen, combined with the bulletproof windshield, reduced the total weight by 11.1 pounds and decreased downforce by approximately 35 pounds, enhancing the overall performance of the race car while ensuring safety. Additionally, version 2.0 integrated ventilation ports to improve cockpit cooling and included 3D printed front rubber to prevent driver hand injuries during collisions, further enhancing driver safety and comfort.
The outstanding performance of the Aeroscreen during this incident once again highlights the significant advantages of 3D printed titanium alloy in the field of racing safety. Titanium alloy, with its high strength, lightweight, and good corrosion resistance, provides a reliable material foundation for racing safety structures, while 3D printing technology offers greater design flexibility, enabling the creation of complex structures that are difficult to achieve with traditional processes, optimizing weight while meeting safety performance requirements.
From racing to aerospace, 3D printed titanium alloy is emerging in the high-end manufacturing sector due to its unique performance advantages. With continuous technological advancements and gradually decreasing costs, 3D printed titanium alloy is expected to find widespread applications in more fields, injecting new vitality into safety and performance improvements across various industries.
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