Streamlining Custom Automotive Engineering with the KSCAN-Magic

Porsche. There is no substitute. So says the German carmaker’s famous slogan, and most drivers of these iconic vehicles would agree. But while a Porsche may be irreplaceable, its individual components are not. In fact, drivers seeking a performance boost often swap out stock parts like the exhaust for a custom upgrade.

That’s where Fabspeed Motorsport comes in. A specialist in Porsche models old and new for more than three decades, the Fort Washington, PA company designs, engineers, and installs high-performance exhaust systems, air intake systems, and ECU tuning for luxury sports cars. A Fabspeed upgrade ensures that an eye-catching
911 or Carrera sounds as good as it looks, delivering a deep, rich exhaust tone along with improvements to torque and horsepower.

Looking for Solutions

How do you engineer high-performance parts for vehicles you didn’t originally design, especially when those vehicles are decades old? Fabspeed meets this challenge with precision and ingenuity. Working independently of Porsche and other OEMs, they develop improved versions of existing components without access to original engineering data. From advanced air intake systems for the latest Lamborghini to custom exhausts for classic Porsches, each part is crafted to elevate performance through innovation and exacting detail.

Until fairly recently, this work involved a lot of manual labor, measuring, welding, hopping between car and workbench, and so on. “As with any kind of manual fabrication, there were some difficulties,” says Simon Indrele, Fabspeed’s Director of Research & Development. “A lot of times these exhausts are symmetrical, but if you’re
handcrafting something it doesn’t always go that way. And if you’re trying to prevent different areas from getting too much heat, doing that manually can be difficult.”

Shifting Gears with 3D Scanning

Everything started to change around five years ago, when Fabspeed bought its first handheld laser 3D scanner. These devices capture accurate 3D data about an object’s surface by using laser beams and sensors to measure the distance between the scanner and the scanned object. Now, engineers on the shop floor can create a highly
accurate CAD model of existing parts by scanning the underside of a vehicle (intact and then with the parts removed) and also the parts on their own. Engineers can then work on that scan data to make an
improved (read: faster, louder) version of the part.

Unlike in previous years, Fabspeed uses the CAD file to laser-cut the manufacturing fixture, which is then used to make duplicates of the actual component. During the “manual” era, the part would have come first and the fixture second.

An Upgrade for Fabspeed

Unfortunately, 3D scanning occasionally presents roadblocks of its own. After a few years of using a red laser 3D scanner, the Fabspeed team found its technology was lagging behind the competition. “A lot of the cars we deal with are brand new,” Indrele explains. “So a lot of the undersides are super shiny. The heat shielding used in cars nowadays is almost mirror, so we were always using lots of sprays. And with the red laser you would really have to take your time.”

That meant it was time for the Fabspeed R&D team to get its own performance boost. But which new 3D scanner to choose? After doing demos with a number of vendors, Fabspeed took advantage of a longstanding relationship with Digitize Designs to purchase a SCANTECH KSCAN-Magic, a versatile blue laser scanner packed with useful features. In the automotive world, some of the most important handheld 3D scanner features to consider are high-speed scanning modes and, as Indrele points out, the ability to scan reflective surfaces without spray. Thanks to its blue laser technology and advanced algorithms, the KSCAN-Magic ticked both of these
boxes and more.

SCANTECH KSCAN-Magic handheld 3D scanner specifications:
Accuracy up to 0.020 mm
Scanning rate up to 4,150,000 measurements/s
Resolution up to 0.010 mm

The difference between the KSCAN-Magic and Fabspeed’s previous scanner was immediately noticeable, impressing engineers on the shop floor. “One major improvement has been the speed of the scanning,” Indrele says. “We don’t have to spray anymore, we just get up and go. We use fewer targets, and when we scan exteriors of cars (the shiny paint side of things) we no longer have to spray them down. So it just speeds everything up for us.”

3D Scanning a Porsche 911

The speed and precision of the KSCAN-Magic were on full display during a recent project with a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS. When a specific muffler was out of stock and the original supplier was no longer an option, Fabspeed needed a fast solution. Engineers used the scanner’s ultra-fast mode to capture the geometry of the muffler area, then referenced existing CAD models to identify a compatible fit—carefully checking for clearance around the bumper brackets and engine block. In under an hour, the team had everything they needed to move forward.

This is just one example of how the KSCAN-Magic is now integrated into Fabspeed’s R&D workflow. With scanning times reduced by half compared to previous tools, it’s become an essential part of evaluating fitment and accelerating development on the shop floor.

Hitting Top Speed

3D scanning has transformed the way Fabspeed reverse engineers OEM parts, allowing the company to rapidly gather geometrical data—even on dark or highly reflective parts—before digitally designing and simulating its own replacement components. Furthermore, with the superior KSCAN-Magic now its 3D scanner of choice, the company can deliver high-quality, trusted components for Porsches and other exotic cars with even greater efficiency.

“In businesses like ours where things are really hectic and fast, we’re moving high speed with every project,” Indrele says. “We’ve got to just get it done and move onto the next one. The KSCAN-Magic has been
great for that.”

Looking to transform your R&D operations like Fabspeed Motorsport? Curious about speed, resolution, and accuracy in handheld scanners today? Shop our range of handheld 3D scanners or speak to one of our experts to discuss your needs.