On Thu, 09 Jun 2016 12:45:00 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

http://www.bikerumor.com/2016/06/07/...link-shredder/

I would enjoys metallurgist's comments on crystal structure
and strength/weight on those Ti printed joints compared to
welded joints with cold formed Ti tube.

I'm certainly not a metallurgist but I suspect that the lugs are
essentially sintered, and sintering is a variable process and depends
largely on the material being used. My guess is that the lugs are at
least as strong as the tubes.

But, as a confirmed cynic, I might add that it appears that using lugs
is simply a cheaper way to build frames of various dimensions in small
quantities. While "carbon" frames can be built by cutting and mitering
the tubes and then wrapping each joint with cloth and epoxy.
Essentially like a steel frame with wrapping and gluing substituted
for brazing, although it does take longer to "fair" the wrapped and
epoxied joints.

The commercial method of fame building is normally to build molds for
each size frame and then by allowing cloth overlap in the molds create
what might be called a monolithic frame. But of course a number of
molds in various sizes is results in rather expensive start up costs.

And it might be that "genuine titanium lugs" probably add a whole
bunch to the "gee-whiz" factor and undoubtedly are justification for a
higher price than a grotty old black frame.
--
cheers,

John B.