Koenigsegg: Making 280mph Capable Carbon Fiber Wheels

Off Topic Automotive News and Motorsports too:
#1

The entire “Inside Koenigsegg” series is very interesting to watch, but this one shows some of the best detail I’ve seen of the process of making a CF wheel. I’m sure there’s some other tricks they don’t show - like how they get a completely smooth surface inside the hollow spokes but you still get to see a lot including the entire aluminium tool.

[ame=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGGiuaQwcd8”]Making 280mph Capable Carbon Fiber Wheels - /INSIDE KOENIGSEGG - YouTube[/ame]

One of the past episodes deals with 3D printing titanium parts for the One:1, one of the largest 3D printed Ti parts in the world. (I think that’s in the episode just before this one.)

#2

This is awesome. Looks like it takes a relatively long time to layup each one.

#3

Cool vid. Bst has a video where they show how they make hollow sections although the hollow section is slightly different than here I think.

#4

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#5

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#6

that is interesting… i wish they had a better close up of the spoke section.

I wonder if they use a melt out system for the internals?

#7

Couple of things come to mind for inner surface of spokes:

  • silicone composite intensifiers
  • inflatable balloon
  • a solid mandrel from multiple pieces.
#8

My bet is they are using silicone intensifiers.

On the topic of carbon wheels; Carbon Revolution here in Aus are making Koenigsegg look rather amateur by comparison:

https://youtu.be/1uN9tRAyJVk

The standard of technology in use there is simply staggering!

#9

Wowzers… :blink:

I had no idea that such high tech composite manufacturing was happening right here in Australia. Good stuff!!! :smiley:

#10

I think the video doesnt show another major step (other than spoke) in the process. They show them bagging the wheel and putting it in the autoclave, however I am guessing this is only done for debulking the laminate. After they debulk they probably add inner wheel mould pieces and bag/autoclave again. Like said above probably silicone, or other type of bladder is used in the spokes. This would press against the inner mould pieces which explains why you cant see where these spokes are on the inner wheel, and the finish is mould surface class finish. If it was cured in a autoclave as they show in the video the bag side finish would not be smooth like they show.

#11

I thought similarly but, i’ve seen other videos of redbull car parts that are made on tooling foam molds, then bagged and autoclaved, the parts came out with a perfect looking bag side finish. The parts I’ve made in the autoclave came out nice on the bag side, but not as nice as the race car parts i’ve seen. The stuff i made in the clave was at 75 psi, maybe if it’s run at 100+ psi the bag side gets enough compaction to give a super nice finish?

I don’t think it makes sense to make these wheels in multiple cure cycles if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. Though from watching the wheel video, they do make it look way to easy don’t they?

#12

yea, after rewatching the video I agree with you. My memory (previously watched the video over a year or two ago) was saying the surface was super smooth on the inside, but actually you can see its not in the video. You can see all the layer overlaps and texture. So I do agree that they just bag as they do in the video without additional mould pieces.

#13

They make it look easy but, i’m sure the design process was pretty involved. there must have been a lot of testing in order to make such a high stress part. The RPMs at those speeds plus the impacts of the road must be intense. Though I wonder what the life span is of a metallic rim under those conditions? I’d bet a well design composite part like that, would have a longer life span than the metal wheels. Every time I watch a video of those guys, i’m usually like wow.

Did you see the variable geometry 3d printed hot side turbine housings that they developed? Freaking awesome stuff… those guys are pretty amazing.

#14

the wheel nut is fastened with 850 Nm torque. and normal car with 120-130Nm.
so the structure of that wheel is super strong.

i agree they are amazing :slight_smile: