April 15, 2024
Use of 3D scanner increases efficiency and reduces labor and material costs See the articleEndurance racing does not only require the best and latest technology. It also involves having the ability to harness it for multiple hours in a row without causing disaster. When you are competing at the highest level and against the best of the best, attention to detail is everything. This means leaving no stone unturned, no issue unresolved. Only then can a racing team truly be at the top of its game.
From the smallest mechanical components to the tiniest adjustments in its driving technique, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport (WTRAndretti) is always looking for ways to improve and gain an edge over the competition. The team is competing in the GTP and GTD Classes for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, which features the fastest and most technologically advanced cars in North America, as well as in the North American Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series. They need to rely on partners and equipment they can trust.
Whether to improve the car’s aerodynamics or make the driver’s experience more comfortable in the cockpit, WTRAndretti’s engineers decided to trust and rely on Creaform’s expertise and technology. With the capability to precisely digitize all newly designed parts, they are certain that everything will fit together perfectly and function as intended.
See WTRAndretti’s engineers and drivers in action on the race track.
3D Scanning Helps Put Every Piece at Its Place
No doubt, in these intense and exhilarating races, engineers and drivers must orchestrate strategies, settings, designs, and new components in flawless harmony to maintain their speed and stay ahead of the competition. Each piece needs to be placed perfectly every time. To do so, scanning the whole car before and after a race allows them to understand how it has behaved during the event and plan accordingly for the next races.
WTRAndretti engineer scanning a special part with the Creaform MetraSCAN 3D
Comfort Keeps Drivers Ahead of the Game
Because the number of things that can go wrong is staggering to comprehend during a race, the last thing a team wants is for the driver to lose his attention for a moment and hit a wall. As he grapples with continuous vibrations, severe jerking, and intense heat, the driver needs to feel at ease and be comfortable inside the car to perform to the best of his abilities. Comfort will contribute to maintaining his focus at a high pace for an extended period of time, which is essential to reach the checkered flag.
When 3D Scanning Makes a Difference in the Cockpit
Engineers at WTRAndretti have understood it: comfort inside the cockpit plays a crucial role in endurance racing. The ergonomics of the cockpit and everything inside it must be carefully designed to ensure that the driver has nothing to worry about except driving. More precisely, every piece that interacts with the driver, such as the seat, the steering wheel and the pedals, must be carefully positioned, as well as the sequence of movements and commands that the driver must repeat with deftness and dexterity during a race.
If drivers do not feel comfortable while experiencing jolts and vibrations, they will be less efficient, tire more easily, and make mistakes that could impact their performance and safety.
As a driver, making changes to make you feel comfortable in the car makes such a big difference, especially in sports car racing.
-Ricky Taylor, WTRAndretti Driver
WTRAndretti-Pilot Ricky Taylor after an endurance race
Creaform Technology Standing Out
Equipped with the same Creaform technology—the MetraSCAN 3D—that was used to ensure the car’s aerodynamics (as portrayed in our first article story), the engineers were able to scan the entire interior of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 and determine the driver’s positioning alongside every component inside the cockpit. At the driver’s request, the team could create a basic bracket made of a single piece that made a big difference. Not only could it match their multi-million dollar race car, but it was also mounted precisely not to alter the driver’s position and comfort in the cockpit.
So now, thanks to this simple improvement, the driver is well-prepared and feels comfortable inside the car.
3D model of a special bracket obtained by reverse engineering the cockpit
Special part designed and mounted to optimize the ergonomics of the cockpit
Getting Everything Right Results in Wins
WTRAndretti is putting all the pieces in place to maintain their winning streak and secure future victories and championships. Creaform will continue to support them throughout the upcoming races. We are excited to witness the drivers’ achievements and the enhancements that 3D scanning technology will bring to the endurance and performance of WTRAndretti’s state-of-the-art racing cars.
