Here at Graphite Additive Manufacturing, we have sponsored Bloodhound LSR’s project to design and build The World’s Fastest Car, supporting their goal to beat the land speed record. With their recent Prime Time documentary detailing a summer of testing in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa, the Bloodhound team have proven that they’re on track to beat the official record in 2022.
Bloodhound LSR needed extremely high-quality parts, able to stand the greatest of speeds, built in low volumes. Our services offered the perfect solution for an array of components seen on the vehicle. With our fast approach to production, 90% of parts can be produced within just 3 days. We were able to work to tight deadlines for the Bloodhound team, without compromising on part quality or precision.
One of the many parts we produced for the car included the Jet Intake Airbox. This part directs cooling air underneath the jet engine from both sides. We produced the part in our very own SinterWorx C6 material; a specialised carbon fibre filled plastic which is ideal for components that need to be light weight and strong. This was the perfect choice for the Jet Intake Airboxes, as our SinterWorx C6 material has the highest strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratio of any 3d Printed plastic.
Other parts produced by us here at Graphite Additive Manufacturing include:
- Intake snorkels which provide airflow to electronics in the tail fin.
- External Ducts visible on both sides of the car, directing air to the Jet Intake Airboxes.
- Wishbone Seals which shield around the rear suspension elements.
- Aerofoil Shaft Shrouds to protect the mounting splines.
- Video Camera Housings in the wheel spats to monitor chute openings.
- Front Brake Cooling Ducts, an air blower connector for routing cooling air into the front disc brakes.
- Sensor Mounts and Camera Brackets, positioned throughout the car to monitor systems and safety.
- Hatch Helmet Pads for support inside the cockpit.
Our SinterWorx C6 material is exclusive to us here at Graphite Additive Manufacturing and was developed in house, involving many years of research and development. SinterWorx C6 possesses excellent properties for applications that need to be lightweight and strong, perfect for Bloodhound’s car, which reached speeds of more than 1,000 km/h in the Channel 4 Documentary.
George Morris, Lead Engineer of Composites at Bloodhound LSR commented, “You have done an awesome job for us. All your parts are performing perfectly and we wouldn’t be testing now if it wasn’t for you. Thank you from all the team.”
We are extremely proud to be a part of Bloodhound LSR’s project and look forward to their official attempt to break the land speed record in 2022. Our parts have proven their quality and excellent properties during last summer’s testing in South Africa, and we are sure that they will contribute to breaking the official record in 2022.
To find out more about the Bloodhound LSR, visit their website.
You can catch up on the documentary, Building the World’s Fastest Car, here.
