Here we are again after a couple of weeks to talk about the collaboration launched with Beniamino Izzo, admin of the PLZ Team website.
The goal of PLZ Team has always been to become a meeting point for all gaming enthusiasts, focusing primarily on professional driving simulators such as “Assetto Corsa” and “Live for Speed”.
In 2005, this goal was achieved with the founding of PLZ-Clan, a community joined by thousands of members and now one of the most followed in Italy.
The hardware used by most members for online racing is almost always top-notch, but often, as happens in professional settings, it is difficult to satisfy everyone. On dedicated forums, it is common to read complaints and/or requests for improvements to gaming setups in order to achieve increasingly better racing performance… or there may simply be a need to replace a defective or worn-out part.
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| An example of a gaming setup. |
From Need to 3D-Printed Solutions
This is where we come in: with the help of Beniamino, a skilled SolidWorks designer, we 3D-printed several products capable of meeting these needs while giving users complete freedom to customize them.
The first prototype we worked on was a Logitech steering wheel mounting clamp, which makes it easy to replace a damaged original without having to spend a large amount of money.
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| The 3D-printed clamp on the left. The original clamp on the right. |
Comparing Hard and Soft Versions
The interesting thing we noticed is that, depending on the amount of material used, we can achieve different degrees of flexibility in the part, allowing users to choose whichever they find most comfortable while driving.
We therefore decided to offer two different versions of this product: the “PLZ Hard” version and the “PLZ Soft” version. Below is a simple graph, obtained using a dynamometer, showing the relationship between the deformation of the part and the applied weight.
As you can see, the performance differences between the “Hard” version of our part and the original Logitech version are virtually nonexistent, while the “Soft” version provides greater flexibility without ever breaking, even under loads exceeding 35 kg. This makes it possible, for example, to take advantage of this feature in gaming sessions such as rally racing and so on, depending on the driving feel you want to achieve.
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| Visual comparison of the Hard, Soft and original versions. |
Future PLZ Team Solutions
Given the success of this initiative, we plan to offer other solutions, such as steering wheel hubs and spacers of varying thicknesses to be installed in pedal sets. So, as always, stay tuned!
