3D printing technology is everywhere, from medical implants to aerostructures, and recently it’s made its way to the Olympics. USA Luge teamed up with Stratasys, a supplier of additive manufacturing technology, to build customized racing sleds. Through their fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology, Stratasys printed key layup and sacrificial tools used for manufacturing the sleds. The technology was also used to make mandrels for the sleds—a composite structure used to properly position riders’ legs at the front of the sled.

“Competitive luge racing is an extremely demanding sport where fractions of a second are the difference between winning and losing. Our riders depend on comfortable, aerodynamic sled designs to win races,” says USA Luge technical programs manager Jon Owen. “In teaming with Stratasys, we’ve become much more competitive on the world stage—continuously adjusting designs and running them on the track much faster than traditional processes. Additionally, we’ve balanced both comfort and performance by tailoring the sled to each rider’s body, while minimizing fabrication cost and time.”