HRE Racing has long stood for remarkable wheel technology. Backed by a legacy of racing history, they are known for high end racing wheels. Their all new HRE 3D printed wheel is taking their reputation to a new level, and could be the wheel technology that redefines the industry.
What is the hype all about exactly? Well this is the world’s first performance and track proven 3D race wheel. The weight and combination of lower rotational mass makes this HRE 3D printed wheel the ultimate in performance.
Inside the HRE 3D printed wheel
Produced in conjunction with GE, this HRE 3D printed wheel is made from a combination of byzantine and titanium. The process behind this 3D printed race wheel is called “additive manufacturing” by the folks at GE Additive AddWorks.
Although the HRE 3D printed wheel is the first one of it’s kind, this technology has been around for many years. In fact titanium 3D printing has served the aerospace and medical sectors for quite some time.
The engineers at HRE are no strangers to wheel manufacturing. To begin the process, HRE takes a 100 pound chunk of aluminum and begin production.
The process is called HRE3D, and there’s no wonder why HRE is recognized as an industry leader. From this 100 lb block of aluminum, HRE whittles away enough to leave a 20 lb wheel. This is done through the use of HRE’s remarkable interlacing latticework and design.
To expand and build this HRE 3D printed wheel, GE took the wheel and broke it into 5 sections. This includes the carbon fiber center, which is carefully woven to exact dimensions. Engineers at GE then built each part of the racing wheel by aiming a high energy electron beam to form solid titanium from powder.
If you think that sounds a lot like some futuristic tech, check out the video behind the HRE 3D printed wheel above.
Building the HRE 3D printed wheel
Once the HRE 3D printed wheel has been built, HRE gets down to business.
To remove any imperfections and smooth out the rough edges, HRE begins the hand finishing process.
As you can imagine, the entire process to build one of these titanium 3D printed wheels can be daunting.
According to sources, the HRE 3D printed wheel comes in 20 x 9 inch sizes as well as 21 x 21.5. Although this wheel is not yet for sale, it’s being shown off at trade shows everywhere including SEMA. The SEMA Show is one of the best locations for aftermarket performance, and HRE is no stranger to this show.
What do you think about this HRE 3D printed wheel? Leave us a comment below and let us know!