PPI Motorsports Makes Engineering Advances With Stratasys

    HICKORY, N.C.--May 18, 2001--Stratasys, Inc., a rapid prototyping equipment manufacturer based in Minneapolis, Minn., has joined PPI Motorsports as a key partner in the NASCAR Winston Cup team's progressive engineering program.
    Stratasys makes rapid prototyping equipment that builds solid models directly from three-dimensional CAD (computer aided drawing) files. The company's patented fused deposition modeling (FDM(R)) technology is used at PPI Motorsports to create highly accurate plastic prototypes that can be tested, analyzed and improved by the team's design group before the fabrication process begins.
    "By using the Stratasys system, we're able to identify and fix design issues before we even get to the machine tooling phase," said Craig Mayes, engineer for PPI Motorsports. "It increases the functionality and accuracy of the components we create in-house, and it helps make the whole process much more efficient and cost effective."
    This season, PPI Motorsports began designing and building its own race cars for NASCAR Winston Cup competition - something rarely done by most NASCAR teams. As part of this undertaking, the engineering group utilizes a Stratasys FDM 3000 system to develop components - from small parts to larger assembled pieces - for its in-house fleet.
    "One area where it really helps is clearance," said Mayes. "If we have a vendor-issued part that doesn't quite fit with other components in the car, we can redesign it with tighter specifications for better clearance. We'll make a model of it and actually bolt it into the car to test the fit. Once we know it works, we can move on without having to wait for a prototype from the machine shop."
    Most prototypes are made with conventional methods of fabrication, such as machine tooling, which increases the time, manpower and cost associated with the design process. The FDM 3000 makes models rapidly and self-sufficiently from strong, high-resolution ABS plastic. Working from computer files, the FDM 3000 translates the CAD blueprint and orients the machine's build area for the model-making process. The machine then liquefies the plastic and extrudes it in ultra-thin layers to build a precision prototype from the bottom up.
    "We literally import a file and push a button, and that's it," Mayes explained. "It's something we can run at night or over the weekend, which saves us a lot of time - you can show up the next morning, and your model is ready for work."
    Stratasys, Inc., Minneapolis, is a leader in rapid prototyping systems. The company's patented fused deposition modeling process creates solid models directly from 3D CAD files using Polycarbonate, ABS plastic, wax, or polyester compounds. Stratasys provides machines for OEMs such as aerospace, automotive, technology, consumer, and medical product makers. For more information, go to www.stratasys.com.
    PPI Motorsports, LLC, a motorsports company based in Hickory, N.C., fields the No. 32 Tide Ford for driver Ricky Craven and the No. 96 McDonald's Ford for driver Andy Houston in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. For more information about PPI Motorsports, please visit the team's website at www.ppi-racing.com.