3D printing titanium components at Stark Future

[Theo]

Stark Future has bought a Farsoon FS721M-H-8-CAMS 3D printer:
Stark Future and Farsoon Technologies Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance Series Production of Premium Electric Motorcycle Components.
They are currently using it to print the titanium footpegs and want to use it for a lot more; listen @19:02:

Here is that printer model:

 

[Beagle]

They've already experimented with the Ti frame



This is super interesting, and possibly the future. As he mentions, right now they could produce more Ti parts, technically it's doable, the issues are cost and output.

For limited series of small items like 200€ Ti footpegs it's ok but I can't bear to imagine how much a Ti 3D printed frame would cost (and you would only make one per batch, unlike said foot pegs).

They would probably shed a couple kilos compared to the 6 kg chromoly steel frame but at what cost? Standard frame is 990€, that's the price of 5 sets of Ti pegs.
Maybe an option for very limited exclusive editions (think 100k€ Ducati Superleggera) or MXEP?

Some nice vids about this technique

 

[Theo]

They've already experimented with the Ti frame

View attachment 13130

This actually looks like extruded or something and then welded and not 3D printed, but wow! I'm curious to know how much it weighs.

For limited series of small items like 200€ Ti footpegs it's ok but I can't bear to imagine how much a Ti 3D printed frame would cost

I've just found some prices on this site: for powder of the common Ti-6Al-4V alloy, I don't know which quality, they say high, the price per kg is not crazy, 100/150 €; I don't know about the manufacturing price, though and 130€ is the cost of a single Ti footpeg, so probably it's the manufacturing that costs a lot.

(and you would only make one per batch, unlike said foot pegs).

The discussion could go on forever since there are many things to consider. I'd like to try and find some logistical advantages of Ti 3D printing.
One cool thing about 3D printing is that you buy the Ti powder, that I guess can be sourced from many different suppliers, and then produce the components you need in your factory, when you want to, so the manufacturer of the motorcycle doesn't depend on some particular supplier for the frame tubes that then need to be welded for example.
Beisdes, maybe it's possible to make two per batch by placing them one inside the other, I mean with the steering stems on opposite sides and the frames arranged in a position line in a dovetail joint. Or they could accept the compromise of making each frame made up of two 3D printed parts to be welded together later.

EDIT: I don't know whether you've ever heard of the Rodin FZero, which is supposed to be a car capable of F1 performance, but they use 3D printed Ti parts, too:

@14:15