UK athletes benefitting from additive manufacturing at Glasgow 2026
AMUK highlights 3D printed components used by British athletes, from track cycling to Paralympic gear
Additive Manufacturing UK (AMUK) has said that significant performance benefits are being felt by athletes competing for medals at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, thanks to the equipment in use.
The trade association reported that additive manufacturing has evolved from a rapid prototyping tool into a production technology delivering marginal gains through lighter, stronger and more individually tailored equipment. AMUK said the technology was now used across elite sport, including Formula 1, track cycling, swimming and para-sport, where manufacturers could create complex geometries and tailor equipment to individual athletes without expensive tooling.
Josh Dugdale, Head of AMUK, said the sporting arena showed how far additive manufacturing had progressed beyond its traditional role.
“Elite sport shows why additive manufacturing has moved far beyond a prototyping niche,” he said. “When fractions of a second matter, engineers need lighter parts, faster design iteration and geometries that conventional manufacturing cannot easily deliver.
“Those same capabilities are strengthening production, supply chains and innovation across UK industry. Sport makes the benefits visible, but the industrial opportunity is much bigger.”
British cycling and Formula 1 applications
British cycling programs had already used additively manufactured cranks, seatposts, handlebars and fittings to improve stiffness, aerodynamics and rider-specific fit, according to AMUK. Formula 1 teams use the technology to speed up aerodynamic development and manufacture tooling and functional parts at race pace.
AMUK also pointed to a growing role for the technology in para-sport, where bespoke equipment could be designed around an athlete’s anatomy and movement.
76 Additive’s Paralympic and Olympic work
Among the examples AMUK cited was member company 76 Additive, which designed a combined grip and computer mount for British paratriathlete Claire Cashmore, used at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
The company also produced lattice-structured aerodynamic handlebars for Drag2Zero, used by Great Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning triathlon mixed relay team, and the EZ Gains Hydroglide swimming aid, made using Multi Jet Fusion nylon and Carbon Digital Light Synthesis elastomer lattice components.
Rob Johnson, founder and owner of 76 Additive, said the technology lets manufacturers design equipment around athletes rather than around traditional manufacturing constraints.
“Additive manufacturing lets us start with the athlete and the performance problem, rather than the limitations of a mold or cutting tool,” he said. “Whether it is Claire Cashmore’s adapted grip, an aerodynamic cycling component or a hydrodynamic swimming product, we can refine fit, stiffness, weight and function rapidly, then manufacture the finished component repeatably. That is not novelty 3D printing; it is practical, high-performance production.”
AMUK said the technology’s growing role in elite sport pointed to wider opportunities for UK manufacturers to improve product performance, speed up design cycles and strengthen supply chains.
