After reaching more than 85 countries worldwide with products dedicated to sim racing, 3DRap makes its debut in real-world motorsport with the #fromvirtualtoreal project. The digital prototyping company will support the SimRacingZone.net team, a community of young talents from the world of online racing that has decided to take its team into the 2019 Formula Predator’s championship. An exciting new challenge lies ahead for 3DRap, with remarkable partners such as MegaRide – applied vehicle research, a Naples-based startup founded as an academic spin-off from the engineering faculty of Federico II University and an official supplier to Ducati Corse, Audi and other major motorcycle and automotive brands.
“We chose to undertake this project because SimRacingZone is a perfect fit for our company philosophy,” explains Beniamino Izzo, 3DRap Project Manager. “Just like 3DRap, SRZ grew out of the world of virtual racing and aims to make every sim racing enthusiast’s dream come true: one day taking part in a real motor race.”
On-Track Testing and Steering Wheel Design
On Sunday, March 10, in Varano de’ Melegari, in the heart of Italy’s Motor Valley, the team took part in the first day of on-track testing for the 2019 Predator’s championship, unveiling the complete lineup for the #fromvirtualtoreal project. The young engineers presented their first steering wheel for real sports cars, made using several technologies, including CNC milling for the 7075 aluminum-magnesium plate and 3D printing for the grip, which was then covered in leather.
Steering Wheel Features and Driver Feedback
“The steering wheel was designed primarily to solve two problems,” Izzo continues. “The first concerns ergonomics. Our ‘formula’ wheel is better suited to single-seaters like the Predator’s cars than the conventional round steering wheel previously used. Its grip is made from Filaflex, a rubber-like material that works very well for this type of application, and the leather covering gives it a pleasantly soft feel. The new wheel also lets drivers coming from simulations, who are therefore less familiar with the dynamics of real cars, see which gear is engaged and, thanks to 3 LEDs, know when to shift at the optimal moment.”
Greater maneuverability and a lighter feel for the vehicle. The product’s effectiveness was also confirmed by the various drivers who took turns on track during testing, including David Greco, one of Italy’s top sim drivers. But that is not all. 3DRap presented the Predator’s championship partners and sponsors with a detailed timeline of both its “virtual” and “real” goals ahead of the 2019 motorsport season, which will begin on March 30 in Cremona and feature 6 races, including one European race. The company will be active in both sectors, developing significant innovations for drivers and sim drivers.
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