Zero to 60 in under five seconds. Concept to reality in just six weeks.
The classic Shelby Cobra roadster turns 50 in 2015. To celebrate, a team of engineers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory set out to create a replica of this iconic car using a massive 3D printer, advanced composite materials, and exciting new electric vehicle technologies. Browse our gallery to follow the Cobra’s journey from concept to drivable car in just six weeks!
Image: Matty Greene, Energy Department
Following a 3D blueprint created with computer design software, a 3D printer deposits thin layers of material one on top of the other to create the components of the car from the bottom up.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The 3D printing process used to create the Shelby Cobra requires dramatically less energy and time than conventional manufacturing, and allowed the car to be assembled using far fewer individual parts.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The Shelby Cobra’s chassis and other external components were printed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory using technology called the Big Area Additive Manufacturing machine, an industrial-sized 3D printer developed by Cincinnati Incorporated, an Ohio-based tool builder that traces its roots back 116 years. This large-scale printer can produce parts 500 to 1,000 times faster than standard 3D printers.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Made up of 20 percent carbon fiber and 80 percent thermoplastic resin, the advanced composite material used for the Cobra’s body is lighter than steel, aluminum and other substances traditionally used in vehicle manufacturing.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Engineers on the project used additive manufacturing technologies to develop ultra-strong 3D-mesh structures for multidirectional crash zones, making the vehicle safer while keeping it lightweight and energy-efficient.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The specialized mixture of composites used for the Cobra’s chassis was developed by Tennessee-based Techmer Engineered Solutions, a family-owned business that employs 600 people at manufacturing facilities throughout the country.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
A team of six people was able to take the Shelby Cobra from design to drivable car in just six weeks -- an effort that would ordinarily take dozens of people at least a year using conventional manufacturing methods.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Once the Cobra’s 3D-printed body was fully assembled, it came time to put the finishing touches on this legendary classic car -- starting with a custom grille bearing Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s signature oak leaf logo.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Tennessee-based Tru-Design, LLC, was brought in to develop a new painting and bonding process specifically tailored for the Shelby Cobra’s 3D-printed materials.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The glossy finished product is more durable and -- importantly -- appealing to the eye, both of which are key considerations in making this kind of manufacturing suitable for large-scale commercial use.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The car was unveiled with a flourish in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, honoring the 50th anniversary of the original Shelby Cobra design.
Image: Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
In early April, the Shelby Cobra was transported from Tennessee to Energy Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Image: Courtesy of Tru-Design LLC
The Shelby Cobra arrived at Energy Department headquarters early on a Monday morning after a 500-mile journey.
Image: Blake Marshall, Energy Department
Maneuvering the car into the lobby of the building was a carefully coordinated process.
Image: Blake Marshall, Energy Department
Underneath its glossy exterior, the Shelby is a “laboratory on wheels” with a clever plug-and-play design that allows researchers to quickly and easily swap in and test new components and technologies.
Image: Matty Greene, Energy Department
One of the most exciting pieces of technology at work in the car is the wide bandgap power electronics that power a 100-kilowatt electric motor. Wide bandgap materials are more energy-efficient and will be more cost-effective than conventional silicon-based materials in power electronic devices.
Image: Matty Greene, Energy Department
With high-performance battery technology and wireless charging capabilities, the Shelby Cobra can be powered up anytime, anywhere.
Image: Matty Greene, Energy Department
The entire 3D-printed Shelby Cobra project was supported by the Energy Department’s Advanced Manufacturing Office and Vehicle Technologies Office.
Image: Matty Greene, Energy Department
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz checked out the flashy new arrival on Tuesday, April 7.
Image: Matty Greene, Energy Department
Secretary Moniz and Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy David Danielson get a walkthrough of the Cobra’s suite of innovations from Advanced Manufacturing Office Director Mark Johnson.
Image: Matty Greene, Energy Department
The promising technologies highlighted in the 3D-printed Shelby Cobra are helping America steer toward a more sustainable future.
Image: Matty Greene, Energy Department
KEY FACTS
- 50th-anniversary version of the Shelby Cobra printed using Big Area Additive Manufacturing machine.
- Entire project took team of six just six weeks to finish.
- Go to energy.gov/eere/amo for more on the Energy Department's advanced manufacturing work.
- Video: Secretary Moniz test drives the 3D-printed Shelby Cobra.
Six highly skilled and ambitious engineers. Six weeks of intense focus. One stunning 3D-printed, all-electric vehicle. These are the results of an Energy Department-supported project that could help shape the future of American manufacturing.
A build team of experts from the private and public sectors printed and finished an electric vehicle version of the 50th-anniversary Shelby Cobra, from concept to drivable car, in just six weeks. As you can see in the photo gallery above, the all-electric car looks cool -- but the real beauty lies underneath its eye-popping design.
Here’s a breakdown of the new manufacturing technologies used to make this car and why they matter:
- Energy efficient manufacturing processes. Five hundred pounds of car chassis parts were printed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility using technology called the Big Area Additive Manufacturing machine. The machine printed the car from the bottom up, depositing materials only where required. This means less wasted material than conventional manufacturing.
- Lightweight advanced composite materials. Composed of thermoplastic resin and carbon fiber, the materials used in the car are lighter than steel, aluminum and other substances. These materials help improve fuel efficiency without compromising performance.
- Plug-and-play design. The car’s design allows researchers to quickly and easily swap in technologies that can make vehicles more sustainable, including a motor propelled by wide bandgap power electronics. This “laboratory-on-wheels” concept gives engineers the flexibility to test components in real time and identify new ways to improve energy efficiency.
- First-of-its kind finishes. High-quality surface finishes are critical for industry applications like making hood, door and fender parts. To achieve a polished look in the Shelby Cobra, the 3D-printer’s nozzle was fitted with a smaller bead size, and Tennessee-based Tru-Design LLC developed a new process for bonding and painting based on the car’s materials chemistry. This process could serve as a model for future large-scale 3D-printed vehicles and products.
This project was made possible by support from the Energy Department’s Advanced Manufacturing Office and Vehicle Technologies Office. The promising technologies used to make the car could help America steer down the road of a more sustainable future. View the photo gallery above and watch this video to see how the car was created.
