SFmototype Kicks Off September 10th: Learn How 3D Printing is Impacting the San Francisco Motorcycle Industry

SF Moto and You3Dit are hosting something more than a happening and more than an event. They are introducing a new lifestyle to the San Francisco area from September 10th through October 22nd. Going whole hog with 3D printing, the respective San Francisco motorcycle and scooter dealership, and digital design and fabrication shop have created SFmototype, as a 3D printing extravaganza that combines learning about this new technology with motorcycles.

That may sound a little artsy for the biker crowd if you haven’t been paying attention to news in the last few years. The truth is that just as with the automotive industry, 3D printing is quite popular in the motorcycle industry too, offering ease in prototyping, as well as allowing obsolete parts to be made more easily now, along with new ones.

This should be a venue for educating many on how digital design, 3D scanning and printing work as patrons of the bike shop will be welcomed, along with new customers and others who are interested in learning more about the prototyping process. They will actually be able to experience how this works as they:

1. Conceptualize their own motorcycle print or product.
2. Work with digital designers and 3D printers to turn their concept into a mototype prototype.
3. Learn about the tools and technology enabling affordable and collaborative manufacturing.
4. Enter a Mototype Design Challenge for a chance to enter a prize.

Tools will be on hand from You3Dit such as CAD software and a whole farm of 3D printers at work.

“The idea for this came about as the co-founder of You3dit, Chris McCoy, and I had coffee one morning at a cafe in SF,” Thomas Campbell, director at SF Moto, told 3DPrint.com. “We were trying to figure out some ways that we could help move 3D printing further into the manufacturing realm and involving motorcycle manufacturers, printer manufacturers and material suppliers in an event with the general public seemed like a great way to start.”

“After all, what better way to showcase the broad capabilities of 3D printing than to make it accessible to motorcycle riders across the United States so that their ideas can become real, tangible prototypes suitable for some types of evaluation.”

The kickoff on September 10th is at 275 8th St., in San Francisco, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and if you are interested in attending, you can RSVP on SF Moto’s Facebook page. Industry experts will be speaking about 3D printing and its future, along with how it is relevant to the continually evolving motorcycle industry.

“We will introduce participants to designers and help bring their ideas into the tangible realm by printing them (free of charge) and putting them right in their hands,” Campbell told 3DPrint.com. “The event will also provide participants exposure to brands like Honda, Kawasaki, and Zero Motorcycles. We anticipate using between five and six printers for around 45 days (roughly 2,500 hours of printing).”

You can also enter the SFmototype Prototype Challenge, creating an idea for your own motorcycle. If you are interested, just do the following:

1. Upload a sketch and description to Twitter or Instagram with #SFMototype.
2. You’ll be contacted by You3Dit.com for a .stl design file to be 3D printed.
3. Come to SF Moto in San Francisco to watch 3D printers in action and pick up your print.
4. Winners will be determined by judges based on: Best Sketch, Best Design and Best Fully 3D Printed Prototype.

Prizes:

• Filament
• Type A Machines Series 1 Pro 3D printer
• Printrbot Simple v2 3D printer
• A motorcycle (and possibly a scooter)
• Motorcycle gear (from jackets to helmet visors)

Sponsors include:

• Autodesk
• BuildTak
• Breathe-3DP
• Cubicity
• eSun
• Honda
• Kawasaki
• Printrbot
• SF Moto
• Type A Machines
• You3Dit
• Zero Motorcycles

If you are attending on the 10th, look forward to lunch, as well as checking out special pricing on some motorcycles through October 22nd. As the 3D printing continues, you may want to check out these special events as well:

• October 1st: Demo a Zero
• October 15th: Demo Select Kawasakis
• October 22: Contest winners announced. Come to SF Moto for food and raffle prizes!

SF Moto, based in San Francisco, was founded in 1990. The dealership offers new Hondas, Kawasakis, Zero, and SYM, along with a variety of used bike brands of motorcycles and scooters.

You3Dit is a global digital design and rapid fabrication company that also connects customers to a  network of skilled designers and experienced digital manufacturers who can turn an idea into a product or prototype in a matter of days with 3D printing, laser machining and CNC machining. Discuss this exciting 3D printing extravaganza further over in the SFmototype forum at 3DPB.com.