EDEN PRAIRIE, MN & REHOVOT, Israel, June 2, 2022 – Stratasys Ltd., a leader in polymer 3D printing solutions, today announced that it has been named an official partner of Toyota Racing Development (TRD). The partnership will make its debut with 3D printed production parts on the forthcoming Toyota GR86 for the GR Cup, a new single-make racing series sanctioned by SRO America.
“Additive manufacturing has allowed us to quickly iterate, design, and create parts for our race vehicles in a way that would have been far more expensive or labor intensive through traditional manufacturing methods,” said David Wilson, president of TRD. “By partnering with Stratasys we are able to advance our manufacturing practices beyond what is currently possible and really harness the possibilities of additive manufacturing for production parts.”
TRD is expanding its use of additive manufacturing from prototyping to end-use parts by integrating Stratasys Fortus 450mc, F370 and the new composite-ready F370 CR 3D printers into their manufacturing facilities in Salisbury, NC and Costa Mesa, CA. The industrial-grade 3D printers will be used to create end-use parts, including an FDM® Nylon 12CF hood vent for their new production vehicle the Toyota GR86, as well as to create a wide range of end-use parts across the TRD product portfolio. Further, TRD has been a long-standing customer of Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, utilizing various additive manufacturing technologies for prototyping. TRD will further utilize Stratasys Direct services to 3D print a clamp for the GR86, utilizing the Stratasys H350 3D printer powered by SAF technology and using sustainable Stratasys High Yield PA11 material.
“This new partnership represents a significant moment in the evolution of additive manufacturing for high performance automotive racing applications,” said Pat Carey, senior vice president, Strategic Partnerships for Stratasys. “We will partner with TRD to support their efforts as they further adopt, prove out and integrate additive manufacturing into their production as a prototyping, tooling and end-use parts solution across the GR86 and TRD custom parts as well.”
TRD plans to continue to integrate additive manufacturing into their manufacturing processes for TRD-branded vehicles and racing cars. The GR Cup, featuring the GR86, is set to begin in 2023.
You can learn more about Stratasys solutions for the automotive industry online.
About Stratasys
Stratasys is leading the global shift to additive manufacturing with innovative 3D printing solutions for industries such as aerospace, automotive, consumer products and healthcare. Through smart and connected 3D printers, polymer materials, a software ecosystem, and parts on demand, Stratasys solutions deliver competitive advantages at every stage in the product value chain. The world’s leading organizations turn to Stratasys to transform product design, bring agility to manufacturing and supply chains, and improve patient care.
To learn more about Stratasys, visit www.stratasys.com.
About Toyota
Toyota has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.
For more information about Toyota, visit https://pressroom.toyota.com/.