A fully CNC-milled downhill race bike made entirely of high-strength aluminum won, among other things, the IXS Downhill Cup 2025 and is currently back in racing action. The creator of this special bike is Bernd Iwanow, managing director of CNC Future Technics GmbH. hyperMILL was used as the CAM solution in the development. The 'Fracebike' significantly benefits from 5-axis machining and simulation-based manufacturing with the CAD/CAM suite from OPEN MIND Technologies AG.
Bernd Iwanow had the vision to develop his own high-end bike and even founded a second company under the name CNC Bike GmbH for this purpose. He worked for over a year on design and development before the first prototype was manufactured. hyperMILL not only enabled precise 5-axis machining of complex components but also fully utilized the potential of the Hermle machining centers from CNC Future Technics.
For perfect surface quality, the software offers special strategies for high-precision machining – a must for the visible components of a high-end bike. Thanks to features like the 'High-Precision Surface Mode', where the tool paths are calculated directly on the surfaces of the CAD model, a particularly homogeneous milling pattern is created.
Milling strategies and simulation
Another milling strategy that Iwanow appreciates: The 'Gentle Overlap' ensures flawless transitions between individual machining areas. 'Especially with prototypes, error-free machining is crucial: Every step must be precise, the first part must fit,' says Iwanow. With hyperMILL VIRTUAL Machining, he has a reliable, NC code-based simulation at his disposal.
'We are pleased with the success of the Fracebike and the growing interest in Iwanow's work in the scene. At the same time, it was nice to see how skillfully he utilized the technical possibilities of hyperMILL. I wish him and the riders of his bikes many more injury-free successes,' says Dr. Josef Koch, CTO of OPEN MIND Technologies, himself an avid mountain biker and owner of a unique bike from Bernd Iwanow.
Contact:
