Case Study: Classictacho GmbH achieves authentic Mercedes 300 SL backlight restoration with Materialise 3D Printing

Bringing Back the Spirit of a Classic Sports Car

Classictacho GmbH, a German specialist in repairing mechanical and electronic speedometers and gauges, faced the challenge of restoring the instrument panel backlights of a 55-year-old Mercedes 300 SL Roadster when original parts were unusable or unavailable. To recreate these complex components to original specifications, Classictacho partnered with Materialise and relied on Materialise’s 3D printing and reverse-engineering expertise.

Materialise 3D-scanned the original part, re-engineered and optimized the design for additive manufacturing, and produced a single integrated backlight: a laser-sintered polyamide base with vacuum-casted transparent HMPU light points and internal light-guiding tubes. Materialise’s approach eliminated metal components and assembly, prevented light interference between indicators, reduced part count, and enabled Classictacho to successfully restore the historic instrument panel to working, authentic condition.

Classictacho GmbH