SEMA Garage, the product development and technology center operated by theSpecialty Equipment Market Association(SEMA), has partnered withBigRep America, the North American division of German large-format 3D printer manufacturerBigRep, to provide large-format 3D printing services to SEMA members across North America. Operating from the SEMA Garage facility in Diamond Bar, California, the collaboration enables companies within the organization’s network to produce parts ranging from early-stage prototypes to functional components using the printer manufacturer’s catalog of validated 3D printing filaments.
The Diamond Bar center supports companies working in the automotive specialty equipment sector by providing engineering and product development resources. Services available through the Diamond Bar facility include vehicle testing, 3D scanning, access to OEM data, and manufacturing support used during product development and compliance processes. Adding large-format additive manufacturing expands these capabilities by allowing member companies to produce larger parts and components directly through the facility’s manufacturing services.
Diamond Bar will house theBigRep STUDIO system, a large-format 3D printer designed for professional environments requiring large-scale part production. The STUDIO platform can print full-scale components using a range of materials, from standard prototyping filaments to engineering-grade thermoplastics suited for functional applications. Access to this system allows SEMA members to produce large prototypes, tooling, and functional parts through the organization’s product development services.
“We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership with SEMA Garage,” said Jeff Olson, President of BigRep America. “It’s a meaningful step forward in how we bring large-format additive manufacturing to the automotive industry in North America. The automotive sector has always been at the heart of what we do, and by working directly with SEMA Garage, we’re making it easier than ever for their members to tap into that technology for real large-scale applications.”
Jim Moore, Vice President of OEM and Product Development at SEMA, said the collaboration expands product development capabilities available to member companies. “SEMA Garage is thrilled to partner with BigRep to bring large-format rapid prototyping into our Product Development service lineup,” Moore said. “This capability gives our members the tools to stretch the limits of innovation and improve the speed and efficiency of their development process.”
The Specialty Equipment Market Association represents more than 7,000 companies involved in designing, manufacturing, distributing, and retailing automotive aftermarket components. Alongside operating SEMA Garage facilities, the organization hosts the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas and provides product development resources, market research, networking, and legislative advocacy for companies operating in the automotive aftermarket sector. According to SEMA, this industry generates approximately $337 billion in economic impact in the United States, supports around 1.3 million jobs, and produces nearly $53 billion in annual parts sales.
Large-format additive manufacturing reduces prototyping and tooling constraints in automotive engineering
Large-format additive manufacturing systems have already been adopted in motorsport engineering environments whererapid iteration and tight development schedulesshape vehicle design.NASCAR Cup SeriesteamLEGACY MOTOR CLUBinstalled two BigRep STUDIO printers to produce prototypes, tooling, and selected functional components inside its race shop after outsourcing delays slowed development cycles. Engineers reported printing between 10 and 20 parts per week, including a gear cooler plenum designed to improve transaxle cooling. Producing the component internally reduced seasonal material costs from roughly $40,000 through outsourced production to about $1,139.50 in printing material. Full-scale prototyping also allows engineers to evaluate component geometry directly on the car before committing to metal manufacturing, shortening development timelines during the racing season.
Hardware capabilities developed by the Berlin-based additive manufacturing company reflect the growing need toproduce large components and toolingin a single build. At theFormnext 2025trade show in Frankfurt, the manufacturer presented several large-format systems designed for industrial part production. The ONE.5 printer offers a build volume of one cubic meter and an upgraded extruder capable of delivering up to 40 percent higher material flow rates than earlier models. Another system, the VIIO 250 platform, incorporates automated bed mapping, filament flow adjustment, and dual extruders capable of processing engineering-grade and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers at temperatures up to 350 °C. Supporting equipment, such as the DRYCON unit, combines drying, storage, and annealing chambers that operate at temperatures up to 180 °C to improve the mechanical strength and dimensional stability of printed components, addressing material performance requirements common in large-format industrial printing.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing cancomplete the call for speakers form here.
Source: 3D Printing Industry
