Winning partnership for Mark One and Kawasaki Racing Team

A winning partnership for Mark One and Kawasaki racing team, ready for an addictive future

An Unbeatable Technical Partnership

The renewal of Mark One and the Kawasaki Racing Team’s technical partnership for the 2022 racing season is a great opportunity for the premier team to further explore the benefits of additive technology, which is projected to have a market value of $17.8B by 2025.

The yearly addition of a new Mark One 3D printer to the KRT’s workshop or racing box since 2018, has encouraged the team to consistently work towards transforming its production process, as it moves away from traditional methods and in the direction of additive manufacturing.

As such, Mark One’s innovative 3D printing technology has allowed the KRT to drastically shorten lead times and carry out component customization. These two benefits are of great importance in the racing field, where riders are under constant pressure to perform and must quickly adjust to different circumstances.

A member of the KRT’s technical crew is pictured using the new MK ONE 3D printer.

Short Lead Times

The harmony between Mark One’s 3D printing technology and Kawasaki Racing Team’s ultimate goals does not stop with the simple renewal of the partnership. Mark One’s printers have allowed the KRT to revolutionize its internal supply chain, by drastically reducing production times and costs with real-time on-site production. Therefore, the KRT can be seen as a transversal model for companies with dislocated branches that need to optimize their supply chain. For example, when premier rider Jonathan Rea and the KRT devise a new component, “they are able to produce the part overnight with the Mark One machine”, creating short lead times. This means that the component can be tested by the Rea the following day and adjusted accordingly prior to the start of a race. This kind of rapid, real-time production is unheard of in the racing world.

Watch the KRT carry out real-time production with the new MK ONE 3D printer 

KRT rider Jonathan Rea (center) leads the pack at the 2022 Pirelli Aragon Round in Teruel, Spain.

Customization

In 2018, the KRT installed one of Mark One’s 3D printers in its racing pit. This move permitted the technical crew to better address the needs of its riders, because it could instantly design and queue customized components that were intended to address particular issues. When the KRT’s expert rider Alex Lowes faced a debilitating shoulder injury during the 2021 racing season, the team’s crew was able to produce two customized components to improve his situation. They devised a small tank cover and two side pods that allowed Lowes to increase the use of his legs on corners and subsequently take weight off his shoulders and arms. As a result, Lowes was able to alleviate his shoulder pain and race better throughout the 2021 season.

Watch the KRT create customized components for Alex Lowes with the innovative MK ONE 3D printer

KRT rider Alex Lowes hugs a corner during the March 2022 test round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

A long-term Partnership

As technical partners, Mark One and the Kawasaki Racing Team have the ability to transform the world of motorcycle racing. Whether it be with the use of customized components that improve rider comfort or performance, a continual reduction in lead times that allows teams to instantly address their needs, or the simplicity of use that guarantees that users can design and print even the most complex components.

The KRT’s Team Manager is pictured here with Mark One’s Founder and CEO Marco Zani

Find out more about KRT riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes

Mark One & Kawasaki Racing Team – Industrial and Professional 3D Printers in the SuperBike Pits

Mark One’s 3D printers are incredible: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team)

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team): “Mark One’s 3D printers helped me ride better”