Renault Formula One race cars include 3D printed parts from Jabil

When drivers for the Renault F1 Team take to the track for the 2019 Formula One World Championship, they’ll be counting on Jabil, the largest company headquartered in St. Petersburg, to get them across the finish line.

Jabil (NYSE: JBL), a manufacturing solutions provider with $22.1 billion in 2018 revenue, has struck a deal with the team to develop and deliver 3D-printed race car parts for their vehicle, the Renault R.S.19.

Financial terms were not disclosed in a news release announcing the agreement.

The high-profile deal highlights Jabil’s additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, capabilities. In additive manufacturing, hardware products or components are built by adding layers instead of machining a block or filling a mold. The technique enables rapid prototyping and low-volume production of otherwise prohibitively expensive custom parts, according to a Jabil fact sheet. Products can be designed online and printed in hours, Jabil said.

Jabil, which has 100 facilities in 26 countries, recently added 3D printing capacity to its manufacturing facility in suburban Detroit, to support expanded automotive and healthcare applications. The company also expanded its facility in Seattle serving aerospace and defense customers.

Jabil will tap its additive manufacturing network, with more than 200 3D printers worldwide, for the Renault deal.

“Our ability to consolidate a global supply chain and scale qualified processes as needed will enable the production of chassis and on-car components in record time,” said John Dulchinos, Jabil’s vice president of digital manufacturing.

The Renault F1 Team is continuously looking for ways to produce race car parts quickly and economically while reducing vehicle weight and maintaining part strength and integrity.

“We look forward to taking advantage of Jabil’s growing ecosystem of certified materials, processes and machines to boost parts availability and overall productivity,” said Antoine Magnan, head of partnerships for Renault Sport Racing.

The 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship is an ongoing motor racing championship that started in March and ends in December, and includes 21 Grand Prix. Five events have been held so far this year, with the next event, the Monoco Grand Prix, scheduled for May 26 in Monte Carlo.

Jabil unveiled the deal with Renault during Rapid 2019, a 3D printing and additive manufacturing conference currently underway in Detroit. Dulchinos took part in a panel discussion on additive manufacturing trends Tuesday, and will talk about emerging applications for additive manufacturing Wednesday.