This could lead to virtual inventories of on-demand replacement parts, which could lead to distributed manufacturing of traditional end components, which could ultimately lead to a circular economy.Part 1: Drawing a Modern Slot Car Body in Tinkercad

However, if a car component manufacturer like MAHLE were to take on Replique’s services, we could see the worlds of custom accessories and 3D printable spares converge. BASF is extremely serious about additive, so it could very well will into existence a market for 3D printed spares.Īt the moment, the leading Replique customer to offer 3D printed replacement parts is German appliance maker Miele. With the backing of the world’s largest chemical company, BASF, it’s hard to believe that Replique won’t succeed. This would coincide with the emergence of Replique, a 3D printing service provider that wants to produce spare parts on demand. If so, we could see the establishment of a true sector for 3D printed aftermarket components, as Executive Editor Joris Peels has been demanding for some time. Now that industrial 3D printing is here to stay, is Ford serious about this initiative? After all, the company does say that it will be using additive manufacturing to mass produce metal parts for an upcoming car. The consumer 3D printing hype bubble burst shortly after, almost as though the rise of MakerBot and its ilk was a trial balloon or an advertising operation on behalf of the industrial giants like HP and GE so they could create the 3D printing market for themselves. The experiment feels a bit like it should belong in 2014, when brands like Hoover began putting CAD files for their products on Thingiverse.

You can also 3D print the devices at a local library, makerspace, or through a 3D printing service.Ī 3D printed divider accessory. For Maverick owners without a 3D printer, there are FITS accessories available on eBay and Etsy. Drivers are even making their own FITS slots for elsewhere in the truck, such as in the dashboard cubby. This includes cup holders, phone mounts, a Nintendo switch holder, and more. To help open the floodgates for homemade accessories, Ford has released CAD files for the FIT system, including for the center console and under the seat.īecause Ford promised the eventual release of these models before the vehicle was even released, online model repositories already been filled with 3D printable files for the Maverick. This could be cupholders, storage devices, trash cans, or essentially anything a maker might imagine. Image courtesy of Ford.Īmong the DIY-friendly features is the Ford Integrated Tether System (FITS), a slot that allows drivers to develop custom items that can be slipped into the cabin of their trucks.

The FITS slot used to hold a 3D printed cupholder.

3d printed slot car parts