Four wheel drive racing is a particularly popular hobby in Japan which is currently being transformed by the numerous new possibilities that 3D printing offers. This was particularly evident at the fun event recently held in Tokyo that was organized by the team behind FabCafe Shibuya.
Open to 4WD racing fans of all ages, the team organized a Mini 4WD Tournament at an innovation lab in the middle of Tokyo. Over sixty 4WD fans comprising of kids, their parents and car design professionals met there to race their miniature vehicles and compete for a 3D printed trophy that was developed by i.materialise and printed out in polyamide. The racing went on throughout that day, with the excitement continuing to rise. At the end of 3 nerve racking tournaments, the Honda Design team emerged victorious, claiming the Grand Champion title.
Because of their size and their numerous plastic components, the miniature racing cars can easily be customized or built using 3D printing, CAD software along with laser cutting. It therefore shouldn’t come as a surprise that many of the tournament participants utilized 3D printing as part of their attempt to make their cars the lightest, coolest, and most importantly – the fastest.
