McLaren takes the lead with Stratasys 3D printing
The Surrey-based McLaren Racing team, which has won 12 drivers’ and 8 constructors’ championships in Formula 1, is now using Stratasys 3D printing technologies to speed up design iterations and reduce the weight of its McLaren race car.
3D printed parts designed to improve the performance of the 2017 race car include a hydraulic line bracket, flexible radio harness bracket, carbon fiber composite brake cooling pipes and a rear wing end plate.
The race car console was completed in four hours, compared to the estimated two-week production time for traditional manufacturing processes.
McLaren 3D printed the structural bracket for the hydraulic line mounting using a Stratasys Fortus 450mc 3D printer, using carbon fiber reinforced nylon material (FDM Nylon 12CF).
Neil Oatley, McLaren Racing's Director of Design and Development, said: "We are constantly modifying and refining our Formula 1 race car designs, so the ability to quickly test new design variations is essential to making the car lighter and, even more so, increasing the number of tangible variations aimed at higher performance.
Dissolvable 3D printed tools for temperature control of racing car brake components
“Being able to introduce new developments to the car a race earlier, while turning a new idea into a new part in just a few days, is a key factor in McLaren’s competitiveness. By increasingly incorporating Stratasys 3D printing technology into our manufacturing processes – whether it’s producing finished parts, composites or even consumables like tooling – we can reduce lead times while still producing more complex parts.” To speed up the design and manufacturing cycle, the race team will also be using the Stratasys uPrint SE Plus on-site during testing and racing, allowing the team to produce parts and tools on demand.