Casting Study: Motorcycle indicator housing BMW R18

For many, the BMW R18 brings back memories of the old days – cruising alone on winding roads, a comfortable ride and good road holding. The vehicle has to have a certain solid and sonorous appearance. With the R18 model, BMW is addressing the buyers of a Harley Davidson. The requirements for haptics and visual appearance down to the smallest detail are correspondingly pronounced. One of these details are the machine’s distinctive indicators.

Due to the required strength and the resistance to vibrations, die-cast zinc prevailed over plastic when it came to choosing the material. The strong vibrations of the 1800 cm³ boxer engine require a special design of the filigree attachment points. Die-cast zinc meets the required strength and at the same time the high expectations of the surface design. With this cast part, this is already achieved through the cast surface quality itself and perfected through further robot-supported, precise grinding and polishing steps. The design of the final inner surfaces of the housing with corresponding internal locking lugs for mounting the turn signal electronics and holding the turn signal glass ensure a simple overall appearance of the turn signal without any other fasteners that spoil the look – with maximum stability for unrestricted driving pleasure.