Case Study: Switzer Dynamics achieves 75% faster production and lighter, higher-quality intake manifolds with 3D Systems

GibbsCAM lightens intake Manifolds with Volumetric Machining

Switzer Dynamics, a North Carolina shop founded by Brandon Switzer, designs and builds nitrous‑oxide and fuel‑injection intake manifolds for drag racing. Facing heavy material removal, tight tolerances and labor‑intensive sheet‑metal fabrication, the shop needed a faster, more repeatable way to produce lightweight runners and complex parts while keeping tool life and cycle times under control.

Switzer outfitted the shop with multi‑axis Haas machines, SOLIDWORKS/GibbsCAM and VoluMill toolpathing, moved runners from hand‑formed sheetmetal to billet five‑axis machining, and cross‑trained staff to run 24/7. The result: full‑depth, high‑speed cuts with VoluMill, tool life increases of 5–10× in some jobs, elimination of welding and separate bungs, roughly 75% time savings on runner production, and a consistent, high‑quality finish that showcases the shop’s programming and machining capability.

Switzer Dynamics

Brandon Switzer

Owner