3D printing first appeared in the 1980s, but it’s a process that’s been rapidly gaining momentum. The process is clearly becoming more widespread, with 3D prints moving into areas previously unheard of.
At CES earlier this month there was a company printing pizza and other foods, an effort initially funded by NASA so the crew could eat familiar foods while on Mars. And just last week, Local Motors was present in the Cobo halls 3D printing a full-size car in front of showgoers at the annual NAIAS in Detroit.
Which brings us to Jonathan Brand, a New York and Connecticut-based artist who always wanted a motorcycle, but for some reason was never able to obtain one. So he decided to 3D print his dream bike: a 1972 Honda CB500.
Using an open-source 3D printer created by Ultimaker, Brand was able to achieve his motorcycle ownership goal. He went to work designing all of the the parts required for the development of the full-size model, using more than 18kg of plastic in a process that sometimes took 24 hours to print a single piece. He then painstakingly assembled the model, ensuring that elements such as wheels could move freely so he could wheel his creation around his studio.
Though the 3D printed vintage bike certainly won’t be moving on its own volition anytime soon, the achievement is nothing short of phenomenal.
Photos © Ultimaker
