3D printing makes further advances as rapid prototyping tool

When McLaren Racing announced a four-year partnership with 3D printing specialist Stratasys earlier this year, it was a sign of motorsport’s increasing reliance on rapid prototyping technologies.

Being able to rapidly model, build and evaluate new components is an invaluable capability in a fast-moving organisation such as a racing team.

In Formula One in particular, cars are adjusted between each race in a bid to squeeze even a fraction more speed out of the vehicles.

This means McLaren must produce prototypes and one-off components extremely quickly, said Andy Middleton, president for EMEA at Stratasys.

“A Formula One car is essentially a prototype,” according to Middleton.

“There is a huge requirement for adjusting that car from race to race, so McLaren is pushing the boundaries of prototyping and looking to produce what are essentially one-off components in advanced materials such as carbon fibre.”

But it is not just motorsport where companies are increasingly relying on rapid prototyping technology. Indeed, according to a forecast by analysts Research and Markets, the global market for rapid prototyping materials is expected to reach $903.8m (£724.8m) by 2021.