If you are a bike enthusiast, there will inevitably come a time when you want to upgrade your bike and adapt it to your needs. The decision to customize a bicycle is a serious decision, as it requires a lot of mental and physical work at all stages of development: from developing the idea for the part to producing prototypes of aluminum parts. It's easy to get sidetracked by the things you need to do and abandon the project altogether. So here's a quick guide to help you keep track of what you need to do to successfully customize your bike.
Find the solution
You're in luck if you've already thought of a good way to modify the bike, but a lot of people just want to do something cool. For those who haven't decided yet, there are a few different customization areas you can work on.
Create an outline
Let's say you are an enthusiast, but you don't have an engineering background and don't know technical drawings, standards, etc. How do you explain what you want? My suggestion is to make an outline. There is a wide variety of free design software that you can use to design your custom aluminum prototype. Remember: to get what you want, make an outline as detailed as possible. Here's a checklist for good sketches.
Once your sketch is ready, it's time to turn it into an actual technical drawing
Modeling and drawing
To make your aluminum prototype, you need to convert the sketch into a real CAD model with engineering drawing. Most professional design programs are commercial and require you to purchase a license for up to $2,000 per year. Most prototyping services have these programs because they require CAD models for machining. However, if you want to create the entire design yourself, there are some free options available. The best of them is Autodesk Inventor Fusion 360. This is a freely distributed software with CAD CAM CAE support that allows you to easily create a 3D model and then convert it into a real drawing. However, remember that you must use ISO or ASME standards when determining dimensions. For example, the screws and nuts are all standard and require corresponding holes in the part.
exam
Checking is essential for high-performance parts, especially bicycle frames. Verification means using computer-aided engineering analysis to determine whether the part is strong and rigid enough to withstand the required loads and not deform more than necessary. This is also called finite element analysis because the part is divided into many parts, each of which is calculated separately and the image is then combined. You need extensive knowledge of physics to model the part correctly. However, if you do, there is free software available to do this, such as Fusion 360.
Develop prototype
Most bicycle parts nowadays are made from aluminum alloys, i.e. those that can actually be modified, since carbon parts are impossible for small series manufacturers. Aluminum prototyping is the most difficult step in developing custom bicycle parts because it requires specialized professional equipment, namely aluminum CNC machine tools. The reason for this is that bicycle parts are precision machined parts with very smooth surfaces and tight tolerances. Therefore, if you want to open a business and seriously enter this field, be aware that the cost of machining aluminum can be very high if you have to purchase equipment. If you are just a hobbyist, contact an aluminum rapid prototyping shop to complete your parts quickly and accurately. For example, aluminum processing in China is very cheap and the processing time is as short as possible.
CNC milling is typically the method used to produce aluminum parts at the prototype stage. The aluminum CNC service machinist takes a blank and installs it into the CNC machine tool. He selects the cutters and writes an NC program that moves the cutters according to the desired trajectory. Then the blank is machined and looks like the final part or needs to be readjusted. This is how custom machining of custom aluminum prototypes is typically performed. Bicycle parts are no different. Although the entire process seems simple, it requires a lot of knowledge in manufacturing engineering, machining, and a lot of experience before you can successfully produce high-quality custom parts. This is why ordering parts is the preferred choice if you are new to this field.
This is how we deliver an aluminum prototype to you
We can manufacture everything from prototypes to small series production. If you are interested, we will be happy to introduce our company to you. To learn more, you can easily send us CAD files for a free quote today.
