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HP’s MJF Shaves Seconds off CUPRA’s Leon Competición Racer

Given its unique ability to produce small numbers of specialty components quickly and cost-effectively, it’s no surprise that 3D printing is being increasingly applied to the world of motorsports. The latest user is CUPRA Racing, the motorsports division of Volkswagen Group’s Spanish subsidiary, SEAT. To design, test and produce parts for its new Leon Competición, CUPRA relied on the Jet Fusion 5200 from HP.

A 3D printed air vent for the bonnet of the Leon Competición. Image courtesy of CUPRA.

To speed up the development of the CUPRA Leon Competición, the racer version of the new 2020 SEAT Leon, the design team turned to 3D printing. This made it possible to rapidly iterate and test new features, which was particularly important as the development of the racer and its production equivalent occur simultaneously. Therefore, any changes that were made during the design of the production Leon could be implemented in the Competición version. Parts printed by the team included the steering wheel’s center control module, the bonnet air vents, door mirrors and the brake and water-cooling inlets.

A 3D printed side mirror mount for the Leon Competición. Image courtesy of CUPRA.

Racers have a variety of specifications that differ from traditional street vehicles. In the case of the TCR International Series of races, however, the door mirror actually must have the same shape as the production version of the car. The CUPRA team maintained the shape of the structure but added great functionality by incorporating an air intake that had the benefit of cooling the driver.

A component for the Leon Competición 3D printed using HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology. Image courtesy of CUPRA.

Within the wind tunnel, the 3D printed parts were verified to ensure that they would perform with the same effectiveness as traditionally manufactured components. Testing was then carried to the track before the official release of the car on February 20, 2020, which coincides with the inauguration of the CUPRA Garage, the new headquarters of the racing brand.

The Leon Competición will hit the racing circuit on the Portimao track in Portugal, where the true quality of the 3D printed parts will be put to the test. Meanwhile, customers interested in purchasing the racer can be pre-booked, a first for touring race cars (heavily modified road cars). A batch of 10 units has been made available for pre-order and will be delivered at the CUPRA Garage in Barcelona, Spain in April 2020.

While 3D printing may be new to CUPRA, AM has been a standard feature of motorsports for some time. Other instances include McLaren’s use of Stratasys technology for track-side printing, Nissan’s implementation of 3D printing for prototypes and end parts, and Team Penske’s use of Stratasys’ new carbon fiber filament 3D printer for producing jigs, fixtures and prototypes. A long series of Formula 1 teams rely on AM, such as Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Sauber. Numerous student teams have relied on 3D printing for their own motorsports projects, as well.

Perhaps one of the more interesting examples is BMW’s use of metal 3D printing to water pump wheels for its German Touring Car Masters (DTM) vehicles. BMW began 3D printing this part using laser powder bed fusion back in 2010, replacing a multi-piece plastic assembly with a single-unit metal unit. As of 2015, BMW had 3D printed 500 water pump wheels for its DTM race cars and Z4 GT3 customer vehicles.

In fact, for a company as new to AM as HP, motorsports aren’t even all that new. An Aussie race team called Triple Eight announced its use of Multi Jet Fusion earlier this month.

The application of AM in racing is a natural one, given the high cost these high-performance parts would generate if made using conventional manufacturing methods. And, as the CUPRA team learned, 3D printing is capable of the rapid iteration necessary for designs in which every minor improvement could shave milliseconds off of the finish time. So, when it comes to motorsports, the question isn’t who is using 3D printing. It’s who isn’t?

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3D Printing News Briefs: December 3, 2019

We’re starting today’s 3D Printing News Briefs out with a new case study, and then concluding with some business. CRP USA has been working with additive manufacturing in the motorsports sector. Moving on, Gardner Aerospace has acquired FDM Digital Solutions Ltd. Finally, the Head of Engineering at Formlabs is joining up with Digital Alloys.

CRP USA AM in Motorsports Case Study

3D printed oil pan in Windform SP, University of Victoria’s Formula SAE race car 2019 version

The University of Victoria (UVic) Formula Motorsport team has been using 3D printed oil pans on their SAE competition cars for the last four years that were created with CRP USA‘s laser sintering process, and Windform TOP-LINE composite materials. As a CRP case study details, carbon-composite Windform XT 2.0 was used to print the oil pans for the race vehicles in 2016, 2017, and 2018, and while they performed “amazingly” the first two years, the engine overheated during a test of last year’s car, which caused the temperature of the oil to rise above what the pan could handle.

For this year’s vehicle, the team decided to use the carbon-filled Windform SP composite material to 3D print the oil pan, as it has a higher melting point. They also made the mating flange thicker to lessen the chances of failure, and both of these changes led to a better, more robust oil pan. At next week’s Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Indianapolis, CRP USA will be showing off some of the other 3D printed solutions it’s helped create for the motorsports industry at booth 1041 in the Green Hall.

Gardner Aerospace Acquires FDM Digital Solutions

Graeme Bond (FDM) & Dominic Cartwright (Gardner Aerospace)

Global manufacturer Gardner Aerospace announced its acquisition of FDM Digital Solutions Limited, one of the UK’s top polymer additive layer manufacturers. FDM was formed in 2012, and its business model of original design solutions, manufacturing capability, and customer collaboration is successful in the aerospace, automotive, medical, and motorsports industries. The company will now become part of the new Gardner Technology Centre business unit, which is focused on R&D and advanced technology.

“Gardner Aerospace is breaking new ground in terms of technology. The acquisition of FDM and the creation of our new Technology Centre business unit provides us with the perfect opportunity to expand our technical knowledge, R&D capability and product offering, and aligns us with our customers’ growing expectations on innovative solutions, continuous improvement and cost competitiveness,” stated Gardner Aerospace CEO Dominic Cartwright.

“The role of 3D printing within manufacturing is constantly expanding and this newly acquired additive layer manufacturing capability complements Gardner’s long-standing capabilities as a producer of metallic detailed parts and sub-assemblies.”

Formlabs’ Head of Engineering Joins Digital Alloys

Carl Calabria

Carl Calabria, an AM industry veteran and the Head of Engineering at Formlabs, is leaving the company to join Digital Alloys, Inc. as its CTO. The Burlington, Massachusetts-based 3D printing company introduced its unique Joule printing last year, which it claims is the fastest way to make the hardest metal parts, as the wire-feed process doesn’t require any metal powder. By adding Calabria to its team, where he will be responsible for the company’s research and engineering, Digital Alloys can accelerate the release of its high-speed metal AM process.

“Leaving Formlabs was a difficult decision, but I was drawn to the size of Digital Alloys’ market, the team, and the opportunity to use Joule Printing to deliver metal printing solutions that have the speed, cost and quality needed for volume manufacturing of larger parts,” said Calabria. “The remarkable technology is producing titanium and tool steel parts faster, and at lower cost than conventional manufacturing processes.”

Watch this video to see Digital Alloys’ Joule printing process in action:

 

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3D Printing News Briefs: October 10, 2019

We’re talking about events and business today in 3D Printing News Briefs. In November, Cincinnati Inc. is presenting at FABTECH, and Additive Manufacturing Technologies and XJet are heading off to formnext. Moving on, Thor3D has announced a new partnership with Rhinoceros.

Cincinnati Incorporated Showing at FABTECH

Machine tool manufacturer Cincinnati Incorporated (CI) is going to FABTECH 2019 next month in Chicago, and plans on showcasing its recently announced partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, along with the #88 car driven by Alex Bowman, and its latest machines at the event. CI is now a full-season associate sponsor of the team’s four-car stable for the next ten years, in addition to its Official Metal Fabrication and Additive Equipment Provider. The racecar will be in booth #A2973 at the show, along with CI’s Hyform and AFX press brakes, Roboform cell, and new CLX laser, which was built specifically for automation-minded metal fabricators. The company’s high temperature Small Area Additive Manufacturing (SAAM HT) machine will be on display in booth #A3839, and its Medium Area Additive Manufacturing (MAAM) machine will make its official debut to the public.

“We’re ready to get to FABTECH and show the fabricating world what we’ve been up to in the past year. Walking through our facility, you can feel the energy and see the production happening. It’s exciting and it’s contagious, and we can’t wait to share it,” said Matt Garbarino, Director of Marketing Communications at Cincinnati Incorporated.

XJet Bringing Extended Carmel Product Line to formnext

FABTECH isn’t the only show in November – formnext is taking place in Frankfurt from November 19-22, and XJet announced that it will be introducing two new versions of its Carmel 1400 3D printer at the event. The Carmel 1400M for metals and the Carmel 1400C for ceramics, both of which use XJet’s NanoParticle Jetting technology, are part of the company’s continuing work to, as XJet put it, “redefine metal and ceramic AM.”

“Formnext is always a highpoint on XJet’s calendar. Each year we hit new milestones, and this is particularly evident at Formnext. From Formnext, XJet will offer two systems, the Carmel 1400C devoted to ceramics and the Carmel 1400M dedicated to metals. While both systems use the same NanoParticle Jetting technology, they are different and have been optimized to handle the different materials. Both will be demonstrated on our booth throughout the show,” said XJet’s CBO Dror Danai.

At Booth C01 in Hall 12.1 of formnext, XJet will demonstrate multiple applications and sample parts that showcase its NPJ technology for both metal and ceramic 3D printing. Representatives from the company’s distribution network will be on hand to answer question, and visitors can also enjoy an immersive, virtual reality experience into XJet’s NanoParticle Jetting at the booth.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies Presenting Modular, 3D Printed Booth at formnext

Sheffield-based Additive Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) will also be attending formnext as it officially exits stealth mode. The company will be showcasing a customizable, modular, and sustainable stand construction at the event, with over 6,000 3D printed parts that will connect 1,100 meters of aluminum tubing to create the booth, which was designed and constructed by Steel Roots Design. Materialise printed the parts out of Nylon PA 2200 material, using SLS technology by EOS, and they were then post-processed with AMT’s own PostPro3D platform. The lightweight parts have complex geometries, with moving features and internal threads that would have been impossible to create using another fabrication process.

“The whole point of exhibiting at a show like Formnext is to demonstrate your technologies and capabilities. At AMT we don’t want to just tell people how good our technologies are, we want to really show them. Our unique stand will show how functional and sustainable 3D printed parts — even at higher volumes — can be utilised when using our automated post processing technologies,” stated AMT’s CEO Joseph Crabtree.

“This level of sustainability commitment is a fundamental principle for AMT at every level of the business. Every decision we make takes sustainability into consideration.”

See AMT’s 120 kg stand structure for yourself at Booth 361, Hall 12.1, at formnext next month. Once it’s been constructed, several other company innovations will be showcased inside, such as the automated Digital Manufacturing System (DMS).

Thor3D and Rhinoceros Sign Partnership Agreement for New Product

3D scanner manufacturer Thor3D and Rhinoceros software developer McNeel have signed a partnership agreement so that Rhino software can now be resold by Thor3D’s distribution partners, along with multiple plug-ins, in a bundle with the Calibry handheld 3D scanner. Rhino’s set of tools for analysis, animation, engineering, free-form 3D modeling, and engineering can now be supplemented by Calibray scans, which can be used as base models. In addition, the bundle can also be extended using Brazil and Penguin rendering software, the Flamingo nXt rendering engine, and integrated animation by Bongo.

“Rhino software is widely known and used worldwide. Many of our customers already use it and our goal is to make it even more accessible to a wider audience. Engineers and digital artists alike, will find this software, in combination with our 3D scanners, extremely helpful in their day-to-day work,” said Anna Zevelyov, the CEO and Co-Founder of Thor3D.

Recommended retail price for the new Calibry and Rhino bundle will be €5,700.

Discuss these stories and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the comments below. 

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3D Printing News Briefs: September 21, 2019

We’re talking about an event, some 3D printing education news, and racing applications in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. Russia’s top 3D printing festival is returning for a second year, 3D Universe is introducing its Educators Exchange Community, and SUNY New Paltz is opening a 3D printing/business incubator. Scheurer Swiss GmbH supplied Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zealand with 3D printed parts, and Cincinnati Inc. is now an official sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports.

3D Today Festival in Russia

Russian 3D printing media outlet 3Dtoday will soon hold 3Dtoday Fest, the country’s top national 3D printing event. The festival premiered last year in St. Petersburg, but is moving to Moscow this time. Top local 3D technology manufacturers and distributors, such as iGo3D Russia and Picaso 3D, will attend the event, and many amateur 3D printer designers will showcase their work as well. Industry professionals and popular 3Dtoday bloggers will speak at the festival, and makers will have the chance to take complimentary workshops on topics ranging from post processing and painting 3D printed models to drawing with a 3D pen.

The goal of 3Dtoday Fest, which is working to expand the reach of 3D printing on a prosumer level, is to unite the community in order to help new and established manufacturers promote their materials and equipment, help beginners enter the world of 3D printing, and give artists and designers a place to display their work to a larger audience. 3Dtoday Fest will take place in Pavilion 5 of Moscow’s Expocentre on November 29 and 30 from 10 am to 6 pm.

3D Universe Introduces Educators Exchange Community

For a teacher who’s long wanted a classroom 3D printer, confusion may set in once the dream becomes a reality – what to have the students do with it now that it’s here? That’s why  3D Universe, a retailer and founding member of the e-NABLE community, has launched its new Educators Exchange community group on Facebook. The page is for educators who want to share their classroom’s digital fabrication projects, which is easy to do with the group’s spreadsheet.

“Our hope is that teachers from all over the world will share their curriculums with each other as open-source resources. We would love to see classrooms create collaborative projects that can connect students from different demographics together in a global 3D Universe Educational Maker Movement!”

Simply request to join, answer a few questions, and agree to the group rules, and then you can start sharing what your students are working on. You can browse the spreadsheet to find open source educational project files and resources, and even find helpful links to websites, articles, and machine-specific tutorials.

SUNY New Paltz Opens New Engineering Innovation Hub

The State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz has just opened its $13.5 million Engineering Innovation Hub (EIH) building, built by Urbahn Architects and general contractor PC Construction. The 19,500 square foot facility, designed to meet LEED Silver environmental and sustainability standards, includes teaching and research lab spaces, the school’s Hudson Valley Additive Manufacturing Center (HVAMC), a popular bachelor’s degree program in mechanical engineering, and 3D print prototyping labs to support the program. It was designed in such a way that an expansion could be supported in the future if necessary.

“The bright, open, 661-square foot entrance lobby is intended as a collaborative space for students,” explained Urbahn Architects’ Construction Administrator Manuel Mateus. “It features cabinets for the display of 3D-printed artifacts. Counters with computer charging and data outlets, lounge-style seating, and whiteboards that allow students to study, work, and collaborate. The lobby also features a textured art wall invoking 3D-printed panels. The flooring consists of textured porcelain ceramic tile and the ceiling is gypsum board. The space features ring-like curvilinear LED ceiling light fixtures.”

3D Printed Toyota Race Car Parts by Scheurer Swiss

Scheurer Swiss GmbH was commissioned to create carbon-reinforced 3D printed engine components for the well-known Castrol Toyota Racing Series (TRS). With the company’s help, Toyota GAZOO Racing New Zealand has created the more powerful Toyota FT-60 for the TRS 2020. The engine can produce 285 hp – far more than its predecessor – and the car itself was tested on the track in Italy this summer. The material was able to stand up under the enormous heat and speed, in addition to the race track’s compressive forces.

“We are planning to go into series production soon with the 3D-printed carbon-reinforced engine components from Scheurer Swiss. We are very satisfied with the advice and service provided by Scheurer Swiss, in particular the flawless and fast delivery of the urgently needed carbon-reinforced components for the Toyota FT-60 test series,” said David Gouk, the owner of David Gouk Race Engines.

The Castrol Toyota Racing Series’ 2020 racing season starts in January at the Highlands Motorsport Park in New Zealand.

Cincinnati Inc. Sponsoring Hendricks Motorsports starting in 2019

In a record 10-year agreement beginning this year, machine tool manufacturer Cincinnati Inc. has joined Hendrick Motorsports – a 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champion – as an official sponsor through the 2028 racing season. The company will be a primary sponsor of Alex Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the October 6th Cup Series playoff race, in addition to two 2020 events. Cincinnati Inc. is also a full-season associate sponsor of the team’s entire stable for ten years, and was named Hendrick Motorsports’ Official Metal Fabrication and Additive Equipment Provider. Hendrick will use the company’s 3D printing, laser cutting, and press brake machinery to help develop and construct its race car fleet.

“Ten years is quite a statement. It demonstrates how the Cincinnati team feels about NASCAR and the opportunities the sport presents for their business,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “From the perspective of our team, it’s a major endorsement of how fantastic the Cincinnati products are and the confidence we have that the relationship will help provide a competitive advantage on the racetrack. We look forward to a lot of trips to Victory Lane together over the next decade.”

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