In the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, competitive advantage often comes from small engineering improvements. With teams competing on highly standardized chassis and components, reducing weight, optimizing materials, and improving manufacturing efficiency can create meaningful performance gains.
This case study from Greene Tweed explores how its collaboration with Arrow McLaren transformed an existing 7075 aluminum anti-roll bar lever into a lightweight Xycomp® DLF™ thermoplastic composite component. The redesigned lever delivered a 64-gram weight reduction per car without compromising durability or performance, contributing to improved power-to-weight ratio, acceleration, braking, and handling.
Rather than functioning solely as a material supplier, Greene Tweed worked as an integrated engineering partner throughout material selection, component redesign, validation, and manufacturing.
You will learn:
• Why marginal weight reductions can create meaningful advantages in IndyCar racing
• How Xycomp® DLF™ replaced a conventional 7075 aluminum component
• How the redesigned anti-roll bar lever achieved a 64-gram weight reduction
• Why material selection and manufacturing methodology can work together to improve performance
• How composite materials can replace metal components in demanding applications
• Why engineering collaboration can reduce internal development and manufacturing workload
• How the anti-roll bar contributes to chassis balance, handling, and tire performance
• Why Greene Tweed’s composite expertise was critical to validating the new component
The project began with an existing anti-roll bar lever manufactured from 7075 aluminum billet. While the original component already met the required structural and functional requirements, Arrow McLaren identified an opportunity to reduce mass while maintaining equivalent performance under demanding IndyCar loading conditions.
Greene Tweed proposed Xycomp® DLF™, a high-performance thermoplastic composite engineered as a lightweight alternative to metal components. The material typically enables 35% to 50% weight reductions when parts are adapted to its properties, making it an attractive option for the application.
The anti-roll bar lever is particularly important because it helps control chassis roll and influences corner-entry stability, mid-corner balance, and corner-exit traction. These characteristics become especially critical at high-speed events such as the Indianapolis 500, where cars experience sustained lateral loading at speeds exceeding 220 MPH.
The collaboration demonstrated that material innovation alone was not enough. Greene Tweed supported the redesign and manufacturing process, validating the composite against load, durability, and environmental requirements. The final design met operational requirements while delivering the targeted weight reduction.
The case study is designed for automotive engineers, motorsport engineering teams, materials specialists, manufacturing professionals, product designers, and organizations exploring high-performance thermoplastic composites for demanding applications.
Download Engineering the Margins of Victory from Greene Tweed to discover how Xycomp® DLF™ and collaborative engineering helped Arrow McLaren reduce component weight while maintaining the performance and durability required for IndyCar racing.
