Why 3D printing makes sense in race car builds

Race cars are full of one-off problems.

The factory dash was not designed with a digital upgrade in mind. The centre console was not designed for a 15 button CAN keypad. The original cluster surround was not designed around modern ECU data, warning lights, shift lights, GPS, logging and driver controls.

That is exactly where 3D printing works.

A 3D printed part can be designed around a specific car, a specific display and a specific mounting location. Instead of cutting up a sheet of flat plastic or forcing a universal mount into place, the part can follow the shape of the factory trim and the needs of the build.

3DRS uses UV-stabilised ASA across its products. ASA is a strong fit for motorsport cockpit parts because it is better suited to heat and UV exposure than basic hobby materials. Prusa describes ASA as a technical material suitable for outdoor use because of its high UV and temperature resistance. (help.prusa3d.com) ASA material is rated to 105°C, which matters in Australian race cars where cabin temperature, direct sun and parked paddock heat can punish cheap printed parts.

What to Print and What to Avoid

3D printing belongs in motorsport, but it does not belong everywhere on a race car.

Used properly, it solves real build problems. A digital dash needs to sit where the driver can see it. A CAN keypad needs to be within reach. A factory cluster opening needs to be filled cleanly. A gauge pod needs to hold the right information without looking like an afterthought.

Used badly, 3D printing becomes a shortcut. That is where builders get into trouble.

The smart approach is simple: print the parts that help with fitment, packaging, visibility and cockpit layout. Do not treat printed plastic as a replacement for steering, braking, suspension, seat, harness, roll cage or other safety-critical parts.

Professional motorsport already uses additive manufacturing, but even top teams are selective. BMW Motorrad Motorsport has used 3D printing in WorldSBK for prototype components at the circuit, plus selected smaller parts not subject to intense stress. BMW also lists race-use examples including brake ventilation parts, sensor holders, quick-release couplings, titanium crash pads, aluminium distributor boxes and aerodynamic trim pieces. (motorsport.bmw-motorrad.com)

McLaren Racing has used Stratasys 3D printing for wind tunnel parts, tooling, embedded sensor housings and full-scale components, with Stratasys saying McLaren can make up to 9,000 parts per year through its additive manufacturing workflow. (stratasys.co.in) NASCAR has also worked with Stratasys, with every Cup Series car using 3D printed parts such as a cold air inlet vent to help cool the driver. (d1io3yog0oux5.cloudfront.net)

For private race car builders, the best use case is not trying to print every part on the car. It is getting the cockpit right.

That is where 3D Racing Solutions focuses: vehicle-specific 3D printed dash mounts, dash clusters, gauge pods, keypad holders and motorsport accessories built for clean fitment and real-world use. (3dracingsolutions.shop)

Good race car parts to 3D print

The best printed parts are the ones that solve fitment and usability problems without becoming part of the car’s safety structure.

Digital dash clusters

This is one of the strongest use cases for 3D printed race car parts.

A digital dash cluster has to do more than fill a hole in the dashboard. It needs to:

• Hold the display securely.
• Sit at the right angle for the driver.
• Fit the factory dash opening cleanly.
• Avoid blocking the steering wheel, column, warning lights or switchgear.
• Leave room for wiring and service access.
• Match the build quality of the rest of the cockpit.

3DRS offers vehicle-specific dash clusters across common JDM, Australian performance and race platforms, including Mitsubishi Evo, Nissan Silvia, Nissan Skyline, Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon, Honda Civic, Toyota Altezza, Corolla and more. (3dracingsolutions.shop)

That matters because a race car builder does not just need a screen holder. They need a part that suits the car they are actually building.

A printed dash cluster makes sense when you are deleting an ageing factory cluster, moving to ECU data, or building a cleaner cockpit around a modern digital dash. Instead of having a display sitting on a bracket above the dash, the goal is to make the dash look like it belongs in the car.

Keypad mounts

Keypad mounts are another strong fit for 3D printing because modern race cars are moving away from rows of old toggle switches.

CAN keypads are commonly used with ECUs, PDMs and motorsport electronics. MoTeC describes its CAN keypads as customisable switching solutions that can connect to a MoTeC PDM. (motec.com.au) That same general fitment problem applies across Haltech, RaceGrade, MoTeC, Link ECU, AiM and other keypad setups.

The hard part is not just wiring the keypad. It is mounting it somewhere useful.

A keypad should be:

• Easy to reach with harnesses tight.
• Clear enough to use under pressure.
• Mounted where labels and button lights are visible.
• Away from knees, elbows and loose wiring.
• Fitted cleanly into the dash, console or factory trim.

3DRS stocks keypad holders and flush mount bezels for builds using Haltech, MoTeC, RaceGrade and other CAN keypad options, including vehicle-specific holders for platforms like Mitsubishi Evo, Holden Commodore and Nissan Silvia. (3dracingsolutions.shop)

This is exactly where 3D printing beats a flat sheet panel. A good keypad mount can follow the car’s existing shape, put the controls in the right spot, and avoid making the interior look unfinished.

Flush mount bezels for displays and keypads

Flush mount bezels are small parts, but they make a big difference to the finish of a build.

A bezel gives the display or keypad a defined edge. It hides the cut line. It helps the install look intentional. It also makes the difference between “the dash is fitted” and “the dash is finished”.

For race car builders, that matters. A clean cockpit is easier to work in, easier to diagnose, and easier to live with over a season.

3DRS lists Haltech IC-7, Haltech 8 button, Haltech 15 button and Haltech/Racepak IQ3 flush mount bezel options in its Haltech range. (3dracingsolutions.shop)

A flush mount bezel is a good printed part because it is a precise fitment piece. It is not holding the car together. It is holding a display or keypad cleanly in place.

Gauge pods

A gauge pod is another sensible 3D printed part when it is used properly.

Boost pressure, oil pressure, fuel pressure, coolant temperature, wideband AFR and EGT data all need to be visible. Some builders put everything through the digital dash. Others still want a dedicated gauge for one or two critical readings.

A printed gauge pod works well because it can suit the car’s interior shape and put the gauge where the driver can actually see it.

3DRS lists an Ash Tray Gauge Pod for Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7/8/9 as one of its best sellers on the shop. (3dracingsolutions.shop) That is the kind of part that makes sense to print: vehicle-specific, low-volume, cockpit-based and designed around fitment.

Wiring, sensor and accessory mounts

Some smaller accessory parts can also make sense when they are used away from heat, moving parts and safety-critical systems.

Examples include:

• GPS antenna mounts.
• Camera or lap timer mounts.
• Loom guides.
• Deutsch connector brackets.
• Label plates.
• Small display brackets.
• Non-critical sensor holders.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport has used printed sensor holders and quick-release couplings in its WorldSBK workflow, which shows how useful additive manufacturing can be for small fitment parts when the material and application are chosen properly. (motorsport.bmw-motorrad.com)

The key is consequence of failure. If a small accessory mount breaks and the result is an annoying repair, that is one thing. If a part breaks and affects control of the vehicle, it is the wrong place to use a normal printed part.

Prototype and test-fit parts

Even when the finished part will be made another way, 3D printing is excellent for test fitting.

You can check:

• Screen position.
• Steering wheel clearance.
• Gauge angle.
• Switch reach.
• Cable exit.
• Dash trimming.
• Driver visibility.
• Service access.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport uses printed prototypes at the track to check function and installation before final production decisions are made. BMW’s own article says printed plastic variants help the team check function, ease of installation, surrounding clearance and access. (motorsport.bmw-motorrad.com)

Private builders have the same problem, just on a smaller scale. A printed test part can save hours of cutting, guessing and remaking.

Final take

3D printed race car parts are not a gimmick. They are also not a shortcut for engineering.

The best printed parts solve packaging problems. They make a dash cleaner. They put a keypad where the driver can use it. They hold a gauge in the right place. They help an old cabin work with modern electronics.

The wrong printed parts try to replace steering, braking, suspension or safety hardware.

For most race car builders, the smartest place to use 3D printing is inside the cockpit. That is where vehicle-specific dash clusters, keypad mounts and gauge pods can make the car easier to drive, easier to service and cleaner to finish.

Building around a digital dash, CAN keypad or gauge setup? Shop 3DRS vehicle-specific dash clusters, keypad mounts and gauge pods, or send through your vehicle and dash setup for fitment help. (3dracingsolutions.shop)

Quick guide: what should you print for a race car?