Duqueine Automotive Set New Standards in Racing Car Development

In high-performance racing, precision and efficiency are crucial. Robotic additive manufacturing (AM) is revolutionizing large-scale production and development of custom tooling for racing cars. A prime example is the project of Duqueine Automotive and Caracol AM, which is reshaping the creation of cure tools for composite components—key to optimizing speed, aerodynamics, and durability on the track.

This success case entails the production of the carbon fiber-reinforced polycarbonate molds, produced using Caracol’s Heron AM robotic LFAM platform equipped with the HF extruder. This mold is used by DUQUEINE to laminate the carbon fiber engine cover D09, its LMP3 racing car. Designed according to LMP3 2025 regulations, the D09 is the result of 18 months of development by DUQUEINE Automotive, focusing on performance, reliability, and driver safety.

By integrating Caracol’s robotic AM technology, DUQUEINE has enhanced its production model, ensuring reliability close to the point of use. With three Delivery Centers strategically located across championship venues, the company enables DUQUEINE cars to be tested and optimized directly on the track alongside its engineering team. This agile, sustainable model improves training efficiency and accelerates performance tuning.

With Heron AM, DUQUEINE now produces high-quality autoclave molds, cure tools, and fixtures with unmatched design flexibility, reduced lead times, and improved cost efficiency for its Le Mans Prototype (LMP3) championship. This success story underscores how Caracol’s robotic AM platforms are redefining racing car manufacturing, pushing the boundaries of innovation in this highly specialized industry.

“Caracol supported us from the design phase through to manufacturing, helping to define the optimal printing strategy. The Eidos Builder software also evolved to adapt to our parts’ characteristics and production needs,” says Florent Noel, R&D Director of DUQUEINE Group. “With this technology, we have significantly reduced manufacturing lead time and, in just six months, produced 60 molds and masters.”

Technical & Performance Data about the AM process

• AM platform: Heron 400, with High Flow extruder
• Nozzle size: 12 mm
• Material: PC + 20% CF
• Printing time: 16 hrs
• Size and Weight: 1000 x 2300 x 2400 mm, 300 kg
• Post-processing: CNC
• Weight reduction: 20%
• Waste reduction: up to 50%
• Lead time reduction: up to 50%

Related Case Studies

Check out our success stories