Printhoek 3D

A VW Tiguan DSG shifter was being installed into a race car that originally had a manual setup.

The two vehicles did not share the same mounting arrangement, so the shifter could not simply be placed into the available space.

We 3D scanned the DSG unit and the mounting area in the race car to capture both sides of the interface. That data allowed us to design a custom plate around the existing mounting points, while providing the position and clearance required by the automatic shifter.

The adapter did not perform the gearbox conversion. Its role was to create the mechanical connection needed to mount the DSG shifter securely within the new vehicle.

A once-off component will not always be cheaper than a standard product. Its value comes from solving a problem that standard products cannot.

The client’s bicycle, saddlebag and rear light created a unique arrangement. The light worked, but its standard mounting position left it obstructed from traffic behind the rider.

Rather than replacing components and hoping another combination would fit, the client chose to have a bracket designed specifically for the existing setup.

The finished ASA bracket repositioned the light beyond the bag while retaining the bicycle, saddlebag and rear light already in use.

Custom manufacturing makes sense when the cost of the solution is justified by how precisely it resolves the actual problem.

The custom bracket was designed to work with the bicycle’s existing rear light and mounting hardware.

After printing, the separate ASA components had to be checked against the original light interface and assembled in the correct orientation.

The extended arm was then fitted beneath the saddle, while the original rear light attached at the opposite end. This moved the light beyond the saddlebag without requiring changes to the light itself.

The result depended on each interface working together: the saddle mounting points, printed arm, attachment component and existing light.

The saddlebag was blocking the bicycle’s rear light from traffic behind the rider.

To reposition it properly, we needed more than the dimensions of the original mounting point. We 3D scanned the saddle and bag together so the new bracket could be designed around the client’s complete setup.

The scan data showed the available mounting space, the obstruction created by the bag and how far the light needed to be extended.

This allowed us to create a customised bracket that retained the existing light while moving it into a more visible position.

A specialised component can be expensive to buy without being difficult to manufacture.

For this project, the client was struggling to source the original lymphatic-system component easily or affordably.

Once the geometry had been measured and reconstructed, resin printing allowed the component to be produced locally in batches. The client accepted the result and could obtain multiple replacements at a lower cost.

Local manufacturing does not replace every specialised supply chain. But when the geometry, material and performance requirements are suitable, it can make low-volume components more accessible.

Not every reverse-engineering project requires 3D scanning.

For this lymphatic-system component, the original geometry was simple enough to measure accurately by hand. We used those measurements to rebuild the internal form, external profile and connection features in CAD.

The component was also small and required fine detail, which made resin printing the more suitable manufacturing process.

The tools were selected around what the component required: manual measurement for straightforward geometry, CAD for controlled reconstruction and resin printing for resolution.

The correct process is not always the most complicated one. It is the one that meets the specification without adding unnecessary time or cost.

Not every incompatible component needs to be replaced.

The paddle latch was already suitable for the custom trailer. The problem existed at the interface between the purchased mechanism and the trailer’s thin panel.

Instead of redesigning the surrounding structure or replacing the latch, we adapted the connection between them. The printed riser established the required position, while the smaller adapters preserved the movement between the exterior lever and internal mechanism.

Sometimes the most effective solution is not a completely new product. It is a carefully designed interface that allows existing products to work together.

The purchased latch could not operate across the gap created by the custom trailer’s thin panel.

Mounting it in position was only part of the requirement. The exterior lever still needed to transfer enough movement to activate the internal locking mechanism.

We designed a printed riser to support the latch and separate adapters to extend its movement across the gap. The mounting points, panel position and required actuator travel determined the final geometry.

A retrofit works when it preserves the function of the original product while making it compatible with a structure it was never designed to fit.