In an experiment, technicians from the YouTube channel 110 Garage successfully operated an internal combustion engine with a 3D-printed piston made of polycarbonate and carbon fiber-reinforced filament. The video documents the entire process, from the development and printing of the piston to the actual running test.
At the beginning, the YouTuber explains the challenges involved in creating the piston. “Due to the expansion and contraction of different filaments, the set dimensions never match the printed dimensions exactly,” he explains. After several test prints and adjustments to the 3D model, he managed to produce a piston with the correct dimensions and a carbon fiber reinforcement.
The first attempt with a PLA piston quickly failed as the material could not withstand the high temperatures. However, the technicians achieved a breakthrough with the polycarbonate piston specially printed for this purpose. After a few teething troubles, the engine actually ran with the 3D-printed piston.
“I can’t believe it actually works,” commented the visibly surprised technician when the quad started up with the plastic piston and reached a speed of 67.5 km/h. The running time was an impressive 1 minute before the piston finally melted.
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