Stratasys has announced an expanded long-term technical partnership with NASCAR that sees it become its official 3D printing partner. NASCAR will now use Stratasys 3D printing technology for the design and production of parts and tools across NASCAR, replacing previous technologies used alongside Stratasys solutions.
A new state-of-the-art 3D printing lab is set to open at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina. The facility features multiple Stratasys technologies, including the F370, 450mc and F900 FDM printers and a NEO800 SL printer to support research and development, parts production, and tooling for NASCAR’s three national series. NASCAR engineers will “benefit from the agility of 3D printing, which allows for faster design cycles and on-demand production of custom components” the companies said in a statement.
John Probst, executive vice president, chief racing development officer at NASCAR, said, “Their 3D printing technology empowers us to quickly iterate and optimize components, ensuring that our staff have the best possible machines to stay ahead in this high-stakes environment. Stratasys has proven to be a valuable partner, and this agreement represents our commitment to staying at the forefront of motorsports innovation.”
Stratasys will also increase the existing FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) capabilities within the NASCAR R&D center, enabling larger-scale production, and NASCAR will now integrate Stratasys NEO stereolithography (SL) solutions. Both these technologies will support applications such as aerodynamic testing, prototyping and production parts with high-precision tooling.
Engineers at NASCAR worked with Stratasys on solutions for NASCAR Cup Series cars, with every vehicle on the track currently using 3D printed parts.
“Our partnership with NASCAR allows Stratasys to showcase the unique advantages of 3D printing in motorsports,” said Rich Garrity, chief business unit Officer at Stratasys.
