In performance automotive modification, custom chassis components must not only satisfy design requirements but also match the original vehicle structure. Subframe braces and sway bars in particular call for careful geometry matching during design so the finished parts integrate seamlessly with the existing chassis.

The Fabrication Series, a YouTube automotive-modification channel with around 718,000 subscribers, used the 3DeVOK MT professional 3D scanner in its Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart project to capture vehicle-structure data and develop custom chassis components.

This case shows how 3D scanning works together with CAD design and downstream manufacturing to provide digital support for automotive modification and custom-parts development.

Case Overview

• Creator: The Fabrication Series, a YouTube automotive-modification channel.
• Vehicle modified: Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.
• Custom components: subframe brace and sway bar.
• 3D scanning device: 3DeVOK MT professional 3D scanner.
• Manufacturing method: waterjet cutting, part assembly, and vehicle installation.
• Core workflow: 3D scanning of vehicle structure -> CAD design -> waterjet cutting -> assembly and installation.
• Project value: uses real vehicle-structure 3D data to inform the geometry design and downstream manufacturing of custom chassis parts.

Project Walkthrough: Watch The Fabrication Series Build Process

Want to see how 3D scanning is applied to custom component development for the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart? Watch The Fabrication Series' original project video to follow the full modification workflow.

Watch the video: You Can Scan and Build Anything These Days

Step 1: 3D Scanning - Capture Vehicle Structure to Build a Data Foundation for Part Design

In the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart project, The Fabrication Series used the 3DeVOK MT professional 3D scanner to capture 3D data of the vehicle's related structures, providing a geometry basis for the subsequent custom-part design.

Compared with measurement methods that only record discrete dimensions, 3D scanning captures the spatial geometry of the target object and produces 3D data ready for downstream processing and design. For automotive-modification projects, this data helps designers understand the true shape of the structure and plan part geometry more accurately.

The 3DeVOK MT professional 3D scanner for automotive customization features 34-line blue laser, 22-line infrared laser, and infrared VCSEL structured light. Users can select the appropriate scanning mode based on the target object and site conditions, making it suitable for automotive structures, complex components, and other challenging surfaces.

In this workflow, the key value of scanning is not merely generating a 3D model, but establishing a digital reference derived from the real vehicle structure for the subsequent custom-part design.

Step 2: CAD Design - Develop the Custom Subframe Brace and Sway Bar

After 3D data acquisition, the project moves into CAD design. Using the actual vehicle structure as a reference and combining it with modification goals, the team develops the digital design of the subframe brace and sway bar.

In this project, the final support structure is not a single complete part but an assembly of multiple independent components. Therefore, CAD design must consider not only the shape and dimensions of each component, but also their connection relationships, load paths, and assembly tolerances.

Bringing 3D scan data into the design process lets designers reference the real vehicle's geometric features in a digital environment, providing a basis for the form, sizing, and installation fit of custom parts. Scanning captures the geometry of the vehicle structure; CAD turns that geometry into manufacturable part designs.

Note that scan data primarily provides geometric reference. For parts involving chassis structure and vehicle dynamic performance, the design must also account for material, load, structural strength, and relevant engineering requirements, and be validated through necessary inspection and testing.

Step 3: Waterjet Cutting and Installation - Turn the Digital Design into Physical Parts

Once CAD design is complete, the project enters the actual manufacturing stage.

In this project, the support structure is not produced as one complete piece in a single cut. Instead, each component is separately waterjet-cut and then assembled into the final support structure through subsequent assembly.

This manufacturing approach requires the design stage to plan each component's shape, dimensions, and interconnection in advance. CAD design provides the geometric basis for separate-part machining, while waterjet cutting converts the design outlines into physical parts.

For custom automotive structures assembled from multiple parts, 3D scanning's role is to capture the real vehicle structure's geometry and inform part design; CAD design then defines the form and assembly of the components, and waterjet cutting produces the physical parts.

From 3D scanning to CAD design, then to waterjet cutting, assembly, and installation, this workflow shows how digital design connects with real manufacturing, turning a custom support structure step by step from a digital model into a physical component.

Case Summary: How 3D Scanning Fits into the Automotive-Modification Workflow

The Fabrication Series' Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart project demonstrates the role of 3D scanning in developing custom automotive chassis components.

In this project, 3D scanning captured 3D data of the vehicle's related structures, providing geometric reference for the CAD design of the subframe brace and sway bar. After the digital design was completed, the parts were manufactured through waterjet cutting, assembly, and installation.

This workflow illustrates the important role of 3D scanning in automotive modification: transforming real vehicle structure into 3D data usable for digital design, so that custom-part development is grounded in actual geometric information and connects smoothly with downstream manufacturing.

For automotive modification, complex metal-structure customization, and automotive reverse-engineering projects, 3D scanning can combine with CAD design and the right machining process to provide a data foundation for custom-part development.

If your project also involves capturing complex structures, custom-part design, or reverse engineering, the 3DeVOK MT professional 3D scanner for automotive customization can capture 3D data of the target object to support downstream digital design and manufacturing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How does 3D scanning help with automotive-modification part design?

3D scanning captures the 3D geometric data of the vehicle body, chassis, and related components, providing a reference for CAD modeling, custom-part design, and reverse engineering. For modified parts that must match the original vehicle structure, scan data helps designers understand the mounting area and plan part geometry more accurately.

2. Can 3D scanning be used for custom automotive chassis-component development?

Yes. 3D scanning can capture data of chassis-related structures and mounting zones, providing geometric reference for the design of subframe braces, brackets, and other custom components. However, scan data alone cannot replace structural-strength calculations, material evaluation, or engineering validation.

3. Can automotive 3D scan data be used directly in CAD design?

Scan data typically requires inspection, necessary data processing, and appropriate software conversion before it can be used in a CAD workflow according to the design goals. For custom parts that must fit the original vehicle structure, designers also need to combine dimensional requirements, assembly relationships, and manufacturing constraints.

4. Can 3D scanning guarantee a custom automotive part will fit on the first try?

No guarantee. 3D scanning provides geometric reference of the real object, but the final fit also depends on data quality, CAD design, machining error, material deformation, installation conditions, and necessary fitment checks. For parts involving the vehicle chassis and dynamic performance, validation through prototyping and testing is recommended.

5. Can automotive parts after 3D scanning be manufactured by waterjet cutting?

Yes, under suitable design and material conditions. Scan data can serve as a reference for CAD design, and the CAD model then defines the part's machining outline and dimensions. Waterjet cutting works for a wide range of materials, but whether it is appropriate depends on the specific part geometry, material, and thickness.

6. Is the 3DeVOK MT 3D scanner suitable for automotive reverse engineering?

The 3DeVOK MT can capture 3D data of automotive structures and components, providing geometric reference for reverse engineering, custom-part design, and CAD modeling. The device features multiple blue-laser, infrared-laser, and infrared-structured-light scanning modes, adapting to different materials and on-site conditions.

About 3DeVOK & SCANOLOGY

SCANOLOGY is a leading metrology brand delivering high-precision 3D measurement solutions for modern manufacturing and engineering. With over 10 years of expertise, six pioneering technological innovations, and customers in more than 70 countries, SCANOLOGY became the first publicly listed company in China's 3D scanning industry in 2025. Its solutions serve industries including aerospace, automotive, heavy equipment, additive manufacturing, and cultural heritage preservation, supporting major projects such as the China Space Station, China’s C919 passenger aircraft, and the China–Egypt joint archaeological program.

3DeVOK, a brand of SCANOLOGY, focuses on professional 3D scanners for applications including automotive customization, medical rehabilitation, museum and cultural heritage digitization, education and research, art and design, and maker projects. Committed to making professional 3D scanning easier and more accessible, 3DeVOK empowers users to bring their ideas to life.