3D Systems and Stewart-Haas Racing, announced they have entered a technical partnership built for victory. The championship-winning NASCAR team has relied on 3D Systems’ ProX® 800 stereolithography and Figure 4® Standalone 3D printers to dramatically improve speed and performance in its racecars. With the help of 3D Systems and this three-year technical partnership, Stewart-Haas Racing can rapidly create durable parts, including design and prototyping with faster iteration, and production. This approach will enable the team to win not only on race days, but win the innovation race.
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. Stewart-Haas Racing 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. Oqton’s Geomagic Wrap® 3D scanning and imaging software is integral to their manufacturing workflow to collect scan data from the car components, process it, and create digital design files for shape deviation comparison. Additionally, 3D Systems’ 3D Sprint® software is used to prepare and optimize the CAD data and manage the additive manufacturing process on both 3D 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, 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, industrial solutions, 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."
Stewart-Haas Racing and 3D Systems will first appear together in the season-opening NASCAR Xfinity Series race February 18 at Daytona (Florida) International Speedway with the 3D Systems logo on the No. 00 Ford Mustang driven by Cole Custer.
