OTR Engineered Solutions, a global leader in off-the-road tire, wheel, and track solutions, has introduced OTR3DLab, a first-of-its-kind prototyping service designed to dramatically reduce product development timelines. 

For decades, bringing a new off-the-road tire, wheel, track, or related component concept to life has required a significant investment in tooling, long lead times, and limited opportunity for full-scale visual evaluation prior to committing to production. OTR3DLab improves that process, with reduced risk.

Using advanced, large-format 3D printing technology, OTR can now produce full-scale physical prototypes of new product concepts in just a few weeks—rather than months—providing customers the ability to assess on-vehicle aesthetics, fitment, proportions, clearance, and overall design direction before committing to costly production tooling.

“OTR3DLab gives customers something they have never truly had before in the off-the-road market: The ability to physically experience a full-scale concept before making major tooling decisions,” says Patrick Sexton, Global Vice President of Engineering and Innovation, OTR Engineered Solutions. “Instead of relying only on drawings, renderings, or small-scale models, customers can now see the product, touch it, and review it on actual equipment. It allows them to make quicker decisions with reduced risk.”

The OTR3DLab service supports more than 1,000 printable materials, including flexible, rubber-like elastomers that closely mimic the look and feel of an actual production tire. The equipment can produce prototypes up to one cubic meter, or approximately 35 cubic feet, enabling customers to receive large, full-scale concepts of treads, tracks, wheels, castings, housings, and other components with a level of realism previously difficult to achieve in the off-the-road industry.

Printed full-scale physical tire prototypes can be mounted directly onto standard steel or aluminum wheels using conventional tire mounting equipment. This allows customers to review assemblies in a more realistic format and, in some cases, place them directly on equipment for visual evaluation, packaging studies, and final design validation.

The new service also complements OTR’s TreadIQ, an AI-powered tire design platform used to rapidly develop custom off-the-road tread concepts for OEMs and distributors. With TreadIQ, OTR engineers can apply customer preferences for tread styling, performance attributes, application needs, and visual direction. Coupled with engineering expertise, the system assists in the generation of functional tire concepts at exceptional speed. After the concept is generated by TreadIQ, OTR3DLab turns it into reality.

“Combining AI-powered tire design with full-scale 3D prototype development provides OTR customers with a faster, more interactive, and more visual innovation experience,” adds Oscar Torres, OTR President and CEO. “It allows us to move from idea to concept to physical review much faster than traditional development methods. That speed can be a major advantage for customers working to launch new products, refresh existing platforms, or differentiate themselves in competitive markets. Ultimately, it’s another way we’re making customers’ lives easier.”

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