A technical partner to count on: Stratasys in the races with Team Penske
NASCAR, INDYCAR and IMSA vehicles to have 3D printed parts
After working with Team Penske in five championship and over 70 race wins since 2017, Stratasys has announced an enhanced technical partnership with Penske. The parties have entered into a new multi-year partnership agreement, which allows Stratasys to maintain its technical support for the four systems currently deployed in Penske’s shop.
Stratasys is an American leader in additive manufacturing that focuses on FDM, PolyJet Technology and stereolithography additive systems. Its technologies are applied in prototyping, creating specific tools and parts for technical industries. Penske stands among aerospace, other automotive, healthcare, consumer product and education clients in the Stratasys roster.
Team Penske is a racing conglomerate based in Mooresville, North Carolina, that participates in high-level American motorsports competitions. The company conducts vehicle design and maintenance for custom race cars.
Penske’s willingness to extend its partnership with Stratasys aids the team’s construction and maintenance operations. Penske currently deploys a Stratasys F900, a Fortus 450mc and a Stratasys F370 in parts production. These machines range from large to small table sizes, thus giving Penske a range of manufacturing possibilities. Penske also deploys a PolyJet Technology J750 printer for high-precision prototyping.
Matt Gimbel, Team Penske’s production manager, makes Penske’s strategic advantage with Stratasys’ systems clear: “The Stratasys partnership has allowed us to not only increase our output but also produce parts in new materials that are immediately installed on race cars. As a result, we have more design freedom and manufacturing speed to iterate faster to reach the optimum design. Ultimately we get better parts to the racetrack faster”.
The Team’s advantage becomes clear when compared to previous-generation CNC machining technology. Numerical tooling, though capable of easy replication, requires a larger shop footprint and pre-made parts. The smaller footprint of Stratasys’s machines allows Penske easier access to shop space and access to a wider range of materials.
Race teams are increasingly using 3D printed parts in their cars. Teams are using Nylon12 carbon fiber. Common 3D-printed in-vehicle parts are brackets, mounts, and applications of new designs, such as the side mirrors of NASCAR vehicles. Penske also uses 3D-printed parts for pit crew equipment.
