Latest Alfa Romeo F1 Car Doubles the Amount of AM Components

The C41 has an increase of 113% of AM parts from the previous year’s 143 (Courtesy Sauber Group)

The 2021 Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen F1 race car, the C41, manufactured in partnership with Additive Industries, Eindhoven, the Netherlands, will take to the track with 304 additively manufactured metal parts, more than doubling the number from 2020’s C39 race car. Twenty-two percent of the parts are titanium alloys, 76% are aluminum alloys, and 2% are stainless steel.  The total combined weight of the metal AM parts is about 33 lbs.

Cost savings of up to 90% per part, in comparison with traditionally manufactured parts, has also been a major benefit for Sauber Motorsport AG, the Swiss company which manages and operates the Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen team. “By having the MetalFAB1 systems in-house, and not outsourcing externally, it helps us to achieve an important element of the cost cap,” commented Jan Monchaux, technical director.

Sauber began its collaboration with Additive Industries with the plan to establish a metal AM competence center within three years. However, the collaboration is entering its fourth year with four machines already in operation, instead of the intended two machines within three years.