From our international files comes OTR Engineered Solutions introducing a large-format 3D printing service that it says can produce full-scale off-road tyre, wheel and track prototypes in weeks rather than months.
“Instead of relying only on drawings, renderings, or small-scale models, customers can now see the product, touch it, and review it on actual equipment. It allows them to make quicker decisions with reduced risk,” says OTR global vice president of engineering and innovation Patrick Sexton.
The OTR3DLab service allows customers to assess on-vehicle appearance, fitment, proportions, clearance and overall design before committing to production tooling.
OTR says the service supports more than 1,000 printable materials, including flexible, rubber-like elastomers that closely mimic the look and feel of production tyres. The equipment can produce prototypes up to one cubic metre, including treads, tracks, wheels, castings, housings and other components.
Full-scale printed tyre prototypes can be mounted on standard steel or aluminium wheels using conventional tyre mounting equipment. In some cases, these assemblies can be placed directly on equipment for visual evaluation, packaging studies and final design validation.
The service complements OTR’s TreadIQ platform, which uses artificial intelligence to help engineers develop custom off-road tread concepts for original equipment manufacturers and distributors.
Engineers can incorporate customer preferences for tread styling, performance attributes, application requirements and appearance into the concepts. OTR3DLab then provides a way to turn those designs into physical prototypes for review.
“It allows us to move from idea to concept to physical review much faster than traditional development methods,” says OTR president and chief executive Oscar Torres.
“That speed can be a major advantage for customers working to launch new products, refresh existing platforms, or differentiate themselves in competitive markets.”