UK's Dash-CAE Showcases Carbon Fiber Monocoque Based on LFAM Technology at Goodwood

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Dash-CAE, a UK-based engineering and composites specialist, is showcasing a new single-seat carbon fiber monocoque technology demonstrator at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, utilizing Large Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM) tooling and composite production processes. The vehicle aims to demonstrate how 3D-printed tooling and in-house composite production can shorten development cycles for low-volume carbon fiber chassis projects.

The demonstrator is displayed alongside Dash's existing TR01 bespoke carbon fiber chassis. Launched in 2024, the TR01 targets supercar, hypercar, and racing applications, filling a niche but high-demand market gap for affordable, high-performance, and well-engineered carbon fiber monocoque chassis. Last year, Dash introduced Dash Bespoke, an on-demand "hypercar manufacturing service," expanding the company's LFAM 3D-printed TR01 platform.

Dash's LFAM process enables the company to transition from CAD design to a complete carbon fiber chassis within days, significantly reducing the tooling time and costs typically required for traditional carbon fiber monocoque manufacturing. The tooling itself is recyclable, and the process supports rapid adjustments to monocoque designs based on different racing series or vehicle requirements. The demonstrator is manufactured using quasi-isotropic sheet molding compound, similar to materials used by supercar manufacturers, balancing energy absorption, lightweighting, and stiffness for structural chassis applications. Dash's tooling relies on two in-house developed materials: Dastrude100 for models and fixtures, and Dastrude165 for Class A production tooling.

In June, Dash relocated to a new 30,000-square-foot headquarters in the same business park in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, adding composite production capacity and space for additional five-axis and LFAM equipment. The new facility also includes a vehicle assembly workshop to support the company's full-vehicle work on automotive, motorsport, marine, and aerospace projects. This expansion coincides with Dash's 20th anniversary in November. Founded in 2006 as a Formula 1 consulting and design firm, the company later expanded into automotive collaborations with multiple OEMs, and in recent years, into marine and aerospace projects.