OTR Engineered Solutions launches 3D printed off-road service
OTR3DLab produces full-scale tire, wheel and track concepts in weeks instead of months
OTR Engineered Solutions, a Georgia-based supplier of off-the-road (OTR) tires, wheels and tracks, has launched OTR3DLab, a prototyping service that uses large format 3D printing to produce full-scale physical concepts of new products in weeks rather than months.
The service is intended to let customers evaluate on-vehicle aesthetics, fitment, proportions and clearance before committing to production tooling.
“OTR3DLab gives customers something they have never truly had before in the off-the-road market: the ability to physically experience a full-scale concept before making major tooling decisions,” said Patrick Sexton, Global Vice President of Engineering and Innovation at OTR Engineered Solutions.
“Instead of relying only on drawings, renderings, or small-scale models, customers can now see the product, touch it, and review it on actual equipment. It allows them to make quicker decisions with reduced risk.”
Materials and build capacity
OTR3DLab supports more than 1,000 printable materials, including flexible, rubber-like elastomers designed to mimic the look and feel of a production tire. The equipment can produce prototypes up to one cubic meter or about 35 cubic feet, covering treads, tracks, wheels, castings, housings and other components.
Printed full-scale tire prototypes can be mounted directly onto standard steel or aluminum wheels using conventional tire mounting equipment, allowing customers to review complete assemblies and, in some cases, place them on equipment for visual evaluation, packaging studies and final design validation.
AI tread-design platform
OTR3DLab complements TreadIQ, OTR Engineered Solutions’ tire design platform that applies AI to develop custom off-the-road tread concepts for OEMs and distributors.
Engineers use TreadIQ to apply customer preferences for tread styling, performance attributes, application needs and visual direction, then generate functional tire concepts; OTR3DLab then produces a physical prototype of the resulting concept.
“Combining AI-powered tire design with full-scale 3D prototype development provides OTR customers with a faster, more interactive, and more visual innovation experience,” said Oscar Torres, President and CEO of OTR Engineered Solutions. “It allows us to move from idea to concept to physical review much faster than traditional development methods.
“That speed can be a major advantage for customers working to launch new products, refresh existing platforms, or differentiate themselves in competitive markets. Ultimately, it’s another way we’re making customers’ lives easier.”
