Aeroshell Mirror Mount
(for carbon fiber bike frame)
Design Criteria: Create a mirror mount for an existing bike mirror that is lightweight, strong, aerodynamic and visually integral with the form of the bike.
Projects
The bike frame was scanned with an Artec Eva 3D scanner. (Shown at right.)
The first step was to create a preliminary 3D model to propose an initial design approach.
It does not show the hex socket for the mirror post, only a potential strategy for forming the mirror mount to the frame.
Because the scanner has trouble seeing the form of black surfaces, blue painter's tape was applied.
You can actually see the surface relief of the blue painter's tape in the scan below.
The part was modeled in
Modo 3D modeling software
to fit the exact form of the bike
and exported as an STL file
Two 3D prints were made.
A test print and a final print.
The final print is shown at right
The final print was primed and sanded several times to get a perfectly smooth, paintable surface.
These last three images show the preliminary print at left and the final sanded, primed and painted print at right.
The mirror can be mounted on the left or right side of the bike and can cantilever up or down from the mounting post.
The STL file was imported into Simplify3D which generates the print file that will be sent to the 3D printer.
A 3D Print Preview is shown at right.
The final printed and painted Aeroshell part weighs only 35 grams (1.2 oz.)
The existing Mirror and plastic mounting post weigh 47 grams.
So the 3D printed Aeroshell plus the existing mirror and mounting post weigh a total of 82 grams (2.89 oz.) most of which is the existing mirror hardware.
