Stratasys to Show Accelerated Automotive 3D Printing and More at PMW Expo 2017
This year’s Professional MotorSport World Expo in Cologne (15- 17 Nov) will see global leader in applied additive technologies, Stratasys, demonstrate how the integration of its 3D printing solutions throughout design and production is enabling race teams and automotive manufacturers to accelerate vehicle development and transform the manufacture of composites for lighter race cars – all at reduced costs.
Visitors to the Stratasys booth (4066) will learn how Stratasys partners and customers, McLaren-Honda F1 and Team Penske (NASCAR and INDYCAR), enhance automotive production by deploying Stratasys FDM and PolyJet 3D printing across a multitude of design and manufacturing applications. Firstly, how the race teams are able to produce aerodynamic prototypes with greater complexity and functionality in a fraction of the time over traditional methods. Reducing prototyping cycles allows them to verify, iterate and test designs significantly faster and consequently shorten the overall design process.
Secondly, visitors will hear how automotive manufacturers and race teams utilize Stratasys additive technologies to manufacture composite parts. Stratasys FDM 3D printing and its high-temperature thermoplastics are ideal for the rapid production of composite lay-up tools and sacrificial tooling. Manufacturers can produce lightweight composite parts without the need for high costs and lengthy lead times associated with traditional tooling production. This is exemplified by McLaren-Honda F1 who produced a large rear wing flap extension – designed to increase rear downforce – in carbon fiber-reinforced composites using a 3D printed lay-up tool produced with a Stratasys Fortus 900mc Production 3D Printer. The team 3D printed the 900mm wide, high temperature (>350°F/177°C) mold in ULTEM 1010 for the autoclave-cured composite structure in just three days, saving time in a critical limited testing period.
Lastly, visitors to the Stratasys booth will discover how to optimize the use of 3D printed production parts directly on the vehicle. Stratasys FDM 3D printing offers race teams the ability to customize their production, unlocking the freedom to design and 3D print durable, race-ready, lightweight parts on-demand and reducing the dependency on tooling. Featuring 35% chopped carbon-fibre by weight, Stratasys’ recently launched Nylon 12CF 3D printing materialoffers extreme stiffness-to-weight ratio, ideal for producing lightweight parts that can meet the gruelling demands of racing conditions. Used cases such as McLaren-Honda F1 and Penske demonstrate how these 3D printed race-ready parts are improving car performance.
Stratasys keynote presentation
As part of the show’s speaker program, Amos Breyfogle, Senior Engineer EMEA, Stratasys, will deliver an insightful presentation on “Additive Manufacturing in Racing – Lightweight Design and Quick Iterations”. Attendees will learn about the diverse opportunities available to race teams, their suppliers and automotive OEMs, when integrating additive manufacturing into design and production. In particular, Breyfogle will use high-profile customer examples demonstrating how to optimize traditional prototyping, tooling and final part production processes with Stratasys additive technologies, enabling accelerated development cycles, reduced expenditure and further advances in lightweight design.
