3D Systems and Stewart-Haas Racing, the championship-winning NASCAR team that has relied on 3D Systems’ ProX 800 stereolithography and Figure 4 Standalone 3D printers to improve speed and performance in its racecars, have recently entered a technical partnership. With the help of 3D Systems and this three-year partnership, Stewart-Haas Racing is able to rapidly design, prototype, and create durable parts.
For a NASCAR team, perfecting automotive components designed to increase speed and performance is a vital ingredient for success. Stewart-Haas Racing uses the ProX 800 to rapidly design and produce large aerodynamic components with a smooth surface finish and precise dimensional accuracy for wind tunnel testing, and relies on 3D Systems’ Figure 4 Standalone for the direct production of TV camera, pit gun, and pit cart components, along with other prototype parts.
Manufacturing on Demand
Oqton’s Geomagic Wrap 3D scanning and imaging software is integral to the team’s manufacturing workflow for collecting scan data from the car components, processing it, and creating digital design files for shape deviation comparison. In addition to this, 3D Systems’ 3D Sprint software is used to prepare and optimize the CAD data and manage the additive manufacturing process on both printers.
“At Stewart-Haas Racing, it is important that we have a technical partner like 3D Systems to provide the tools we need to develop components that ultimately increase the speed of our racecars,” said Reneau Van Landingham, production manager at Stewart-Haas Racing. “The Pro X 800 and the Figure 4 printers enable us to print very large and very small, accurate, smooth-surface finish parts as quickly as possible. The speed in which we can design the component, print it, and test it in the wind tunnel is our most valuable resource to making our cars faster at the racetrack. The materials that are available for these machines enable us to print a range of prototype parts and track-capable parts for our cars. I am confident that this technical partnership between 3D Systems and Stewart-Haas Racing will enable both companies to win in the additive manufacturing space and on the racetrack.”
“As part of our work within motorsports, 3D Systems understands how critical speed is – not just on the track, but in technical development to improve car performance,” said Reji Puthenveetil, executive vice president of industrial solutions at 3D Systems. “By partnering with Stewart-Haas Racing, we are able to combine their capabilities with the benefit of 3D Systems’ advanced materials and printing technology to develop competitive advantages for them – on and off the track.”
The two companies will first appear together in the season-opening of the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, on 18 February, at Daytona (Florida) International Speedway with the 3D Systems logo on the No. 00 Ford Mustang driven by Cole Custer.
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Author: Edward Wakefield
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