Case Study: Tecnun Motorsport achieves 60% lighter carbon fiber intake manifold with Stratasys 3D-printed soluble cores

Tecnun Motorsport Team Reduces Carbon Fiber Intake Manifold Weight by 60% with Stratasys 3D Printed Soluble Cores

Tecnun Motorsport, the University of Navarra student Formula Student team, needed a way to produce a highly complex, lightweight intake manifold while allowing rapid design iteration. Traditional aluminum molds were expensive, inflexible and had a three-week lead time, so the team partnered with Stratasys (with local reseller Pixel Sistemas) to trial FDM sacrificial tooling using a Stratasys Fortus 450mc and ST-130 soluble tooling material.

Stratasys provided 3D‑printed sacrificial cores that were printed in about five hours, withstood curing at up to 121 °C and 620 kPa, and were washed away to leave a carbon fiber manifold. The solution cut the manifold weight by 60% versus conventional methods, shortened lead times to enable more design optimization, and helped Tecnun Motorsport secure its best Formula Student race finishes to date.

Tecnun Motorsport

Javier Aperribay

Technical Director