Rarely does an emerging industry fit the needs of an existing one so well as with 3D printing and Formula 1 racing. The strengths of 3D printing align like a puzzle with the unique difficulties of engineering for Formula 1 racing cars.
We wanted to start this new series, “3D Printing in Action,” to showcase all the unique ways that 3D printing could apply to the future careers of your students. Our sister company, Prototyping Solutions, is a proud sponsor of the University of Alabama’s Crimson Racing team, so we thought it would be fitting to start with this industry!
Needs of Formula 1 Racing
Formula 1 isn’t ordinary car racing. Out of all the classes of auto racing, Formula 1 is the highest class, as sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). Formula 1 race cars are the fastest road-course cars in the world, pulling 6 Gs around corners and speeds of 230 mph on straightaways. Of course, the engineering and manufacturing of these cars is a complicated and delicate process, using cutting-edge technology to go as fast as humanly possible. Using cutting-edge technology, of course, means using 3D printing. To win in Formula 1, you must build better, faster, stronger, and lighter cars than your competitor. F1 cars must be small and aerodynamic, as well as powerful. All internal parts must be as light and close-fitting as possible, and all external parts must be form-fitting to reduce drag.
In addition to these competitive engineering challenges, every year Formula 1 teams must alter their cars or build new cars corresponding to the rule changes outlined by the FIA. The FIA is continually updating these rules according to new technologies. So, this constant research and development style in building racing cars fits in perfectly with the nature of 3D printing. Once the racing season begins, teams must make engineering changes to the cars every weekend to respond to the upcoming race and keep the cars in optimal shape. Cars have to deal with changes in climate, street and asphalt type, architecture, and changing in between smooth tracks built for racing and tracks that are composed of bumpy city roads.
The Benefits of 3D Printing
3D printing is a type of additive manufacturing where parts are made by layering materials from the ground up using a source of energy such as heat or a laser. Materials used include plastic filaments, resins, and plastic or metal powders.
The vast benefits of 3D printing over other manufacturing methods:
- Able to produce smaller quantities of parts at a time
- More rapid prototyping
- Extremely accurate prototyping and production
- Complex parts capabilities with applications in many sectors
- Reduced cost compared to other methods
- Reduced weight of parts
- Can design parts with more complicated geometry
- More sustainable as it produces much less waste
3D printing is often used as a complement to other manufacturing methods, like CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining as well as injection molding. Injection molding is a more mature manufacturing technique that offers a wider range of materials, but it can only produce at high volume and for a higher cost. Likewise, CNC machining produces much more waste as it’s a subtractive manufacturing method. With CNC machining, however, oftentimes 3D printing will produce the initial part that ultimately uses CNC for its final smoothing.
As the materials used in 3D printing get better and stronger, 3D printing may surpass other more traditional manufacturing methods. Its biggest benefit is that if you can dream it, you can 3D print it; traditional manufacturing can’t replicate the elaborate architecture of parts that 3D printing can handle. Additive manufacturing like 3D printing is now widely recognized as being the 4th industrial revolution.
A Match Made in Heaven
Because of its need for rapid development, F1 has been the unofficial leader of technological progress in motorsports. The Renault F1 team purchased its first 3D printer as early as 1998. By 2019, all ten of the F1 engineering and construction teams used additive manufacturing to produce parts for their cars. At any given moment today, F1 cars have about 100 3D printed parts. Alfa Romeo Racing’s 2020 season car had 143 metal 3D printed parts, from bodywork to cooling circuits, safety structures, and chassis inserts. All of this resulted in a 2% weight reduction in the car, a significant reduction for F1 racing.
3D printing is most often used in rapidly prototyping parts for testing and development, but in the future will expand to creating production parts regularly used on F1 cars. Design capabilities of 3D printing work well in the F1 environment of constant technological breakthroughs. The time it takes for regulatory changes, research and development, testing and inspections, and practicing make it impossible for F1 construction and engineering teams to operate without 3D printing. Performance polymers are often used in 3D printing for F1 uses because of their high heat tolerance. Once these polymers are perfected, it’s likely the majority of Formula 1 car parts will be 3D printed.
3D printing is also helping motorsports get to its ambitious goal of a net-zero carbon footprint by 2030. The subtractive manufacturing of CNC machining that’s currently used creates a great deal of waste by starting with a block of material first and removing it to build the part. Additive manufacturing, like 3D printing, only uses what material it needs for the part, and generates less material waste in the process. As 3D printing innovates F1 racing, so F1 racing innovates 3D printing in turn.
Preparing Your Students for Formula 1 Careers
Your students can apply their classroom knowledge of 3D printing techniques and technology to virtually any industry, including Formula 1! Combining 3D printing skills with real-world examples can help increase your students’ excitement about a future in STEM. To learn more about 3D printers or curriculums for your classroom, reach out to us here!
