BBI Autosport is redefining the limits of automotive performance by integrating 3D Systems’ industrial-grade additive manufacturing into its design and engineering workflow. Through rapid prototyping and precision part production with the assistance of 3D Systems’ Application Innovation Group (AIG), BBI’s team accelerates development cycles, optimizes aerodynamic and thermal components, and achieves custom-fit solutions that conventional fabrication methods can’t match. From high-performance manifolds to complex cooling systems, 3D printing empowers BBI to iterate faster, reduce weight, and deliver measurable gains in speed and efficiency—pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in modern auto tuning.
Founded in 2005 by Betim Berisha in Huntington Beach, California, BBI Autosport has grown from a small, passionate performance shop into one of the most respected names in Porsche tuning worldwide. The company was established by Betim Berisha, a former professional race car technician and Porsche factory program employee, and in partnership with Dmitriy Orlov, they have built on the vision to merge motorsport engineering principles with precision street performance.
When Berisha started out he saw an opportunity for his knowledge in the after-market tuning space.
“I could see that there was a big gap between what people were bolting on Porsches versus what I learned in the motorsport world,” he said. “So I started applying some of that knowledge and making a small name for BBI. And then Dmitriy came along.”
BBI had already started building its reputation with a BBI-built Porsche 996 Turbo achieving 221 mph in The Texas Mile, in 2009, and a 1500 bhp Porsche 911 Turbo running at 205 mph in the half mile in 2012, among others. By then the company had grown significantly in size and reputation, and by 2015 cars built and tuned by BBI were consistently making 1st place finishes at The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
“I've always had an eye for and a taste for technology, especially cutting-edge technology, so additive manufacturing was always huge on my radar,” said Berisha. “Dmitriy and I met, and he just opened up a whole world of possibilities for new, advanced innovations in our work, especially the opportunity that additive manufacturing could bring. He came on board in 2017 and has taken us to the next level.”
Dmitriy Orlov, now CTO at BBI, drives innovation in product design. He recognized the potential for further innovation in automotive tuning using additive manufacturing early on, starting his own product design consultancy in 2011, as well as 3D scanning and reverse engineering service later.
“We have a small 3D printer in the shop, that we use religiously,” said Orlov. “It’s such a crucial part of the design workflow – it’s like a concept drawn on a napkin except it’s a physical part, it’s 3D and then we can mess with it.”
Since car parts tend to be larger than the little shop printer can manage, the BBI team made contact with 3D Systems’ AIG) to enlist expert guidance for the innovative ideas they develop every day.
The AIG is an internal team of advanced engineering experts at 3D Systems who partner, advise, and achieve process innovation for customers seeking successful implementation of new and efficient designs and parts production using 3D printing. The global team members work in research teams for manufacturers in aerospace, defense, motorsports, oil & gas, and more.
“AIG has the deep expertise that has allowed us to create shapes and geometries that would otherwise be a nightmare to fabricate, and in materials like Inconel that are incredibly hard to machine,” said Orlov. “3D printing with the 3D Systems team has consolidated the amount of welds and joints, and they have repeatedly pushed the limits of the machines to enable virtually no welds, much lighter weights, for parts we could never have made otherwise.”
Orlov and his team develop new ideas in CAD along with 3D scan data to work from, and then rely on the expertise of the AIG to help them evolve the design for best efficiency, weight and performance.
“At AIG a highlight for us is that we work in every different industry, many of them very advanced such as space, defense and automotive sports,” said Joe Dopkowski, business development manager and application engineer with 3D Systems’ AIG. “So when Dmitriy comes up with a new idea for one of the car projects, we are able to quickly apply ideas that we know work well for other industries.”
The BBI team uses both plastic and metal 3D printed parts for the vehicles, and many are prototypes but increasingly more are going directly onto the vehicles as end-use parts. This is becoming especially true with exhaust and intake manifolds.
“These parts are where we can effect great improvements over the original parts and additive manufacturing magnifies that,” said Orlov. “Formula 1 has traditionally cut these and welded them together. But working with 3D printed Inconel, we can create tubes and bends that simply cannot be fabricated, are very lightweight and with a material that can get glowing, red hot, time and time again without failure.”
3D printing is also enabling the better use of labor resources.
“Producing these complex parts manually can take an enormous amount of manpower to fabricate, said Orlov. “With the help from AIG, we spend time designing it, hand the data to Joe, and we can focus on other work without devoting weeks on creating a single part.”
Across time, the BBI team has learned how to create optimal parts that work well in 3D printing, but wouldn’t work under traditional manufacturing workflows.
“Additive Manufacturing allows us to throw out the rules of traditional tooling and you can really package something that is ideal,” said Berisha. “This means we are delivering even better performance from the vehicles because we are not confined to grip lengths and radii of older methods.”
“These headers we have been making as one-offs will slowly become production pieces,” said Orlov. “We are also working on suspension parts and other pieces in composites and alloys, as well as innovative body parts.”
The Future with Additive Manufacturing at BBI
BBI is working hard to evolve from purely creating one-off solutions to Porsche vehicles and venturing closer to low-volume vehicle production and 3D printing is going to be infused into that production process.
“Additive for creating these low volume vehicles will be a huge part of the effort for many reasons,” said Orlov. “It enables that Just-in-Time manufacturing mentality where we're not bound by tooling, we're not bound by minimum order quantities and we can get the best possible parts for high value cars using exotic materials, without having to make hundreds of them at a time.”
Berisha and Orlov have also recently cofounded a new venture together – Type-99, an advanced vehicle development company bridging automotive eras and technical innovation to create the ultimate machine. 3D Systems’ AIG team solves several gaps in the automotive industry with additive manufacturing that were not made possible before. By leveraging today’s rapid prototyping, modular systems, and modern fabrication, we streamline the entire process — making bespoke vehicle development more agile, precise, and innovative than ever before.
“TYPE-99 merges timeless craftsmanship with cutting-edge tools, digital design, and advanced engineering to redefine how low-volume vehicles are conceived and brought to life,” said Orlov.
Until now BBI Autosports, while well known in the industry, has not become a household name. But maybe with the help of 3D printing, it just might.
The combination of advanced 3D printing technologies, and materials from 3D Systems, alongside process innovation from AIG, tuned to your exact business needs, accelerates successful implementation of new and efficient designs and parts production. If you are seeking new ways to build efficiencies in production, better performing parts with significantly improved fuel usage, AM with 3D Systems is your go-to choice. Find out more about 3D Systems’ AIG and schedule a free consultation. at:
https://www.3dsystems.com/consulting/application-innovation-group
