At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the Chinese short-track speed skating team won two gold medals and continued to maintain a high level of competitiveness.
In addition to the athlete's own hard training, high-quality ice skates also contribute to the excellent performance of the athlete.
Using metal 3D printing technology to provide equipment optimization solutions for the Chinese short track speed skating team participating in the Beijing Olympic Games, tailor-made lightweight and personalized new short track speed skating blades for athletes, and contribute to the national team's 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics a force.
By collecting the dynamic data of each member of the Chinese short track speed skating team, it is used to analyze the stress on the blades and columns during start-up, acceleration, relay and turning. Based on the data, the R&D team performed a complex topology optimization (design-build-test) on the blade to obtain the best geometric streamline shape.
Skate blades are usually made of tempered carbon steel or aluminum alloy with chrome plating to provide strength while reducing weight. After comparison, an AlMgSc (aluminum-magnesium-scandium) alloy was selected to make the new ice blade. This is a new type of alloy developed from the traditional AlMg alloy. It is mainly used in the production of various structural parts in the aerospace and automotive industries. It has the advantages of high strength, strong plasticity, and high-temperature resistance.
Compared with the traditional aluminum alloy blade, the AlMgSc blade printed by SLM 3D is lighter, only 206 grams (the original blade has 289 grams), about 20% weight reduction, and can also provide stronger transverse and longitudinal strength performance. In addition, the new blade also meets the requirements of quick installation, positioning, and so on.
“The 3D-printed blade is lighter and shows better flexibility in use, providing smoother and better grip on ice, especially in turns and tight turns,” commented a short track speed skater. "We tested it in many extreme conditions, and the new blade was able to withstand the mechanical stress of hard starts and fast coasting."