At E3D we’re driven by the belief that anyone can create something incredible with the right tools no matter their age or background. We’ve always been passionate about educating people about 3D printing (two of our co-founders even come from a background in teaching!) so when we were approached by a local school team for help with a STEM project a few years ago it as a no-brainer for us to jump at the chance to help fuel their dreams.
The team in question was APEX Racing. Based at Matthew Arnold School in Oxfordshire the team’s mission statement is “Engineering excellence through efficiency, performance and sustainable partnership” and for the last few years they have been competing in STEM Racing, a hands-on competition backed by engineers and supported by Formula 1® for pupils aged 9-19. In the annual competitions that take place in January, March, and October, teams battle it out against each other to design, build, manufacture, and race a miniature racing car. As part of this multi-disciplinary experience students also get the chance to hone their real-world skills in brand image, project management, presentations, and sponsorships.
STEM Racing UK National Finals
Wondering what that means in practice? A typical week at APEX Racing largely depends on the time of year. For example, during October they spend their time developing their car in CAD, CFD and completing testing on different components. As they move into November and December the manufacturing stage begins with the parts on the car being CNC machined and 3D printed, getting the final livery and car design ready for the regional finals. On the other side of the team project management and enterprise elements are ongoing ensuring the team are within budget and in line with their scoping.
The team initially came about as the result of a school science fair. Some pupils had completed a project exploring the Coanda Effect (the tendency of a fluid jet to stay attached to a nearby curved surface, bending along it due to pressure differences and fluid entrainment) and a teacher told them about STEM Racing. A team of 5 (3 engineers, 1 project manager, and 1 branding manager) was swiftly assembled and they realised that in order to make their dreams of winning a reality they would need the backing of some willing sponsors.
The team approached E3D about the possibility of sponsorship in 2023. They felt E3D’s core values and similar interests aligned with their team’s mission and were drawn to our expertise in the field of 3D printing and manufacturing. It was also fortuitous that we weren’t situated too far apart, with around a 20-mile distance between E3D’s headquarters and the APEX Racing’s school. Dave Lamb, Chief Operations Officer and Founder of E3D commented “Education has always been at the heart of what E3D stand for, and it was, and continues to be, our absolute pleasure to be able to sponsor this group of outstanding children from a local Oxfordshire school.” We were impressed by the ingenuity and engineering expertise of the team as well as their initiative to get in touch with local sponsors and so donated them a 3D printer right from the get-go. With the help of the printer they were able to print components for their very first car which would go on to win the regional final in January 2024!
APEX Racing’s winning car with its much-deserved prizes!
Elliot from APEX Racing explains; “E3D’s sponsorship is extremely important to our team from manufacturing support to monetary sponsorship which allows us to fund crucial car components such as ceramic bearings. E3D is an amazing partner and we would not be where we are as a team today without their support and help.”
Fast forward to 2026 and APEX Racing are now competing in their third year following two regional final wins and competing at the UK National Finals. Their mission is to compete competitively and eventually proceed to the STEM Racing world finals which will be held in Singapore later this year! We have huge faith that this driven young team will smash their goals and it’s been an honour to support them. We can’t wait to see what’s down the road for them in the future.