BWT Alpine F1 Team purchases four 3D Systems SLA 750s

After making it clear that 3D printing is going to be a major part of its strategy for the 2023/24 F1 season, by showing off Figure 4 systems at the official unveiling of the new car, the BWT Alpine F1 Team has recently purchased four 3D Systems SLA 750 3D printing systems – enabling the team to produce 25,000 parts annually, and accelerating innovation and speed to track. The team decided to purchase the systems after it extensively tested the product in its beta phase. BWT Alpine F1 Team is currently using the SLA 750 systems and 3D Systems’ Accura Composite PIV material to build models for wind tunnel testing, including complex aerodynamic parts with pressure tappings as well as small composite tools and high-temperature bonding jigs. The team reportedly sees significant productivity increases – enabled by reduced build time and time between builds. The resulting parts deliver ‘unmatched sidewall and surface quality’, excellent feature detail, and high geometric accuracy – thus requiring less time to post-process and finish.

“We are very impressed with the depth of precision engineering that went into the development of 3D Systems’ SLA 750,” said Ben Mallock, deputy head of aerodynamics for the BWT Alpine F1 Team. “BWT Alpine F1 Team has a long-standing technical partnership with 3D Systems, and we were pleased to have early access to this product when it was still in beta. We put the SLA 750 through its paces during testing and achieved the best part quality we have so far seen in the market with considerably improved productivity. As a result, we purchased additional SLA 750 systems to bring our total to four. We are enjoying the positive impact this is having on our wind tunnel testing, and getting our innovation to the track faster. With the support of 3D Systems’ SLA and SLS solutions, we’re able to produce 25,000 additively manufactured parts each year. This is a true testament to the productivity these technologies enable.”

3D Systems designed the SLA 750 to deliver an industry-leading combination of print size, speed, accuracy, and resolution for final parts that possess notable finish and mechanical performance. The printer includes 3D Sprint, 3D Systems’ all-in-one software to prepare, optimize, and print 3D CAD data. 3D Sprint delivers all the tools needed to quickly and efficiently go from design to high-quality, true-to-CAD printed parts without relying on multiple software packages.

3D Systems co-developed Accura Composite PIV in conjunction with the BWT Alpine F1 Team. Parts produced using this material take significantly less time to prepare – from CAD to wind tunnel – and deliver more accurate, high-resolution data. When used as part of a complete 3D Systems additive manufacturing solution – comprising Accura Composite PIV, the SLA 750, 3D Sprint, and advanced application services – BWT Alpine F1 Team has been able to maximize its wind tunnel investment and improve its understanding of the airflow over the car.

“As a company, 3D Systems has long prided itself on building solutions centered on addressing our customers’ application challenges,” said John Murray, VP, of the global ISG segment and business development at 3D Systems. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see how our latest innovation in SLA technology is combined with a material we co-developed with BWT Alpine F1 Team to accelerate design iteration and innovation for wind tunnel testing. This is a testament to how we’re advancing the science of additive manufacturing to help our customers defy limitations and maintain competitive advantage.”