Case Study: Ducati achieves 20-month design-cycle reduction with Proto3000

Compressing the Design Cycle at Ducati

Ducati, the Italian motorcycle maker founded in 1926, needed to shorten its design cycle to accelerate new engine development. To validate designs in-house and produce accurate, durable prototypes quickly, Ducati adopted FDM prototyping systems from Proto3000 (two Fortus FDM machines), replacing much of its prior outsourced prototyping.

Proto3000’s FDM solution allowed Ducati to prototype the Desmosedici engine almost entirely in polycarbonate, cutting development time by 20 months—design and assembly took 8 months versus 28 months previously—and eliminating roughly €1 million per year in service‑bureau expenses. The in-house Proto3000 systems improved design accuracy, reduced errors, enabled rapid redesigns and organizational buy‑in, and significantly sped up Ducati’s engine development process.

Ducati

Piero Giusti

R&D CAD Manager