Case Study: Big Dog Garage achieves rapid CAD recovery and durable end-use parts with 3D Systems

Jay Leno and Team Put 3D Systems End-To-End Manufacturing Technologies to the Test

Jay Leno’s Big Dog Garage, home to hundreds of classic cars and custom builds including the jet-powered EcoJet, faced a recurring problem: delicate air vents kept breaking and the original CAD data had been lost, making traditional replacement costly or impossible. The garage needed a fast, accurate way to recreate and strengthen one-off parts for vehicles that have no mass-produced spares.

Using a Faro blue‑light scanner and 3D Systems’ Geomagic Design X with LiveTransfer to Autodesk Inventor, the team reverse‑engineered the damaged parts and sent the CAD data to 3D Systems Quickparts for SLS production in Duraform HST nylon. The result: durable, lightweight end‑use parts that fit perfectly, significantly reduced breakage, and a rapid, repeatable workflow for future repairs.