Bugatti Supercar Brakes for 3D-Printed Caliper

Volkswagen AG’s Bugatti unit has begun testing a 3D-printed titanium brake caliper that it plans to use in its Chiron supercar later this year.

Bugatti claims the front-axle application is the largest brake caliper in a production vehicle and the largest 3D-printed “functional” part made from titanium. The 8-piston caliper is 16 inches long and weighs just over 6 lbs, which would make it about 40% lighter than the Chiron’s current aluminum-based brake caliper.

Bugatti is partnering on the project with Hamburg, Germany-based Laser Zentrum Nord, which uses a printer with four 400-watt lasers to create the brake caliper. The 45-hour process involves building up 2,200 layers of aerospace-grade titanium, which is melted into shape via the lasers. The part is sintered at 700°C before a supporting structure is removed and the caliper receives surface treatment.

The part can withstand as much as 275 lbs/sq-mm of pressure without the material rupturing, which Bugatti says makes the component much stronger than an aluminum caliper.

The Chiron, powered by a quad-turbo 8.0-liter W-16 engine, generates 1,480 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque. The car can rocket from zero to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 261 mph.

Bugatti and other VW Group brands are evaluating 3D-printed components for other applications. One possibility is a titanium wiper cover that promises to weigh half as much as a conventional cast-aluminum cover.