Stratasys FDM Technology supported the design and build of the new AMR-One race car.

Stratasys’ Dimension® 3D Printer was used to mock up the chassis, driver controls, and engine of the race car, by producing prototypes for concept and testing of Aston Martin’s new AMR-One, (LMP1 class). The car is to be driven by the Aston Martin Racing works team drivers in the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC). AMR selected the Dimension machine for its rapid prototyping capabilities after seeing the speed and quality of the parts produced for the Prodrive run rally team in a previous project. Having the machine on site helped the race team to design, test and build a complete car to meet the tight deadline for entry into this year’s ILMC.

Built from the ground up, AMR-One features a custom carbon fiber chassis, an open cockpit, and a significantly down-sized engine, each of which required testing during the building process. The Dimension machine was used primarily for designing and testing the engine parts as well as mocking up the chassis and driver controls. This ensured ultimate efficiency and that the new design met the 2011 regulations from the Le Mans governing body, the ACO.

Aston Martin Racing is exploring using the 3D printer to make finished parts for end-use on the car, such as the front wing splitters used for aerodynamic flow. “When we received final sign-off to build the car, using rapid prototyping was a no-brainer for us, as we had a tight deadline to meet. Most of the engine was prototyped on the Dimension machine, which also proved very useful for the early stages of determining the driver fit for the car,” said George Howard-Chappell, Technical Director at Aston Martin Racing. “Without the 3D printer, we would not be testing the car today. Following the success with the AMR-One, we hope to utilise the capabilities of another Stratasys machine to help build and deliver end-use parts for future cars.”



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