fabricationprojectperformance

From Scan to Pedal: Making Custom Racing Pedals Using 3D Scans and CNC

UUnknown

2026-02-13

12 min read

Capture a driver's foot with modern 3D scans, design ergonomics in CAD, prototype, and manufacture custom racing pedals for comfort and performance.

Hook: Stop fighting the pedals — make them fit you

If you’ve ever slid your foot under the pedal and wished the throttle, brake or clutch just lined up with your natural position, you’re not alone. Poor pedal fit costs lap time, causes fatigue and—worst of all—breaks your concentration. In 2026, affordable phone LiDAR and hybrid CNC/3D-printing workflows let small teams and garage builders produce true driver-fit racing pedals. This guide shows a real project build: how to capture a driver’s foot position with a scanner, design ergonomics in CAD, prototype with additive methods, and manufacture final parts with CNC or metal 3D printing.

Why custom pedals matter in 2026

Factory pedal boxes are compromises. Modern race teams and sim drivers demand repeatable ergonomics and precise feel. Recent developments in late 2025 and early 2026—consumer handheld LiDAR scanners, phone photogrammetry apps with AI-assisted mesh cleanup, and wider availability of metal binder-jet printing—make personalized pedal fabrication practical for smaller shops. Combine that with generative-design tools in mainstream CAD (Fusion 360, Onshape) and you can optimize shape, weight and stiffness for a specific driver/foot geometry.

Short takeaway: Scanning a driver in their race seat moves pedal design from guesswork to data-driven fit.

Project overview: From scan to pedal

High-level stages for this build:

Plan — define goals, target vehicle and constraints.
Capture — scan the driver in the car (or mockup) using phone LiDAR or a handheld scanner.
Model — clean the mesh, establish reference planes, design pedal faces and linkages in CAD.
Prototype — 3D print pedal faces and mock pivots for fit and function testing.
Manufacture — CNC mill final pedals or use metal 3D printing for complex shapes; assemble and test.
Validate — on-track test, measure pressure distribution, iterate if needed.

Tools, materials and budget expectations

Before you start, line up tools and suppliers. Typical small-shop setup for this project:

Scanner: phone LiDAR with a high-end phone (2024–2026 pros have improved depth sensing) or a handheld scanner such as an entry-level Artec/Einscan. Photogrammetry apps (Polycam, RealityScan) plus a phone camera are a budget route.
CAD: Fusion 360, SolidWorks or Rhino; MeshMixer/Blender for mesh cleanup; MeshLab for quick repairs.
Prototyping printer: FDM (PETG/ASA) or SLS nylon service for stronger prototypes.
CNC: 3-axis or 4-axis mill for billet aluminum (6061 or 7075) or an external shop for parts. Metal binder-jet or DMLS printing for complex designs.
Hardware: stainless pivot shafts (8–12 mm typical), sealed bearings or bronze bushings, M6/M8 fasteners, heim joints or spherical rod ends if adjustable linkage is needed.
Finishes: anodizing, powder coat or bead blast; knurling or grip inserts for pedal faces.

Budget ranges widely. Expect $0–$500 for DIY scanning and prototyping; CNC final parts typically add $300–$1,500 depending on material and complexity. Metal 3D printing will be higher but can eliminate complex fixturing.

Step 1 — Plan the build and define constraints

Start by answering four questions:

Which vehicle and pedal box are you modifying?
Will pedals replace faces only or the entire pedal assembly?
Will you change mechanical ratios or simply optimize contact area and placement?
How many iterations do you want to prototype before final machining?

For this guide we assume you’re making custom pedal faces and link arms that mount to an existing pedal box and pedal pivots remain the same. That scope reduces risk and avoids brake-system re-engineering.

Step 2 — Capture the driver: best practices for 3D scanning in-vehicle

Accurate capture is the foundation. Follow these practical tips:

Scan in driving shoes. Always scan the driver wearing the exact shoes they use for racing—sole thickness and toe shape change contact points.
Set the driver in final seating position. Bolsters, cushion, and lumbar adjustments alter foot angles. Lock the seat and scanning targets in place.
Use reference markers. Place small reflective or printed markers on the car floor, pedal box and known points (e.g., pedal pivot bolt head). These help align the scan to the car coordinate system later in CAD.
Capture the whole lower leg and seat belt anchor area. This gives context for angles relative to the driver’s torso and helps set pedal placement for reach and heel support.
Prefer handheld LiDAR or multi-angle photogrammetry. For handheld scanning, keep the scanner 300–700 mm from the foot and sweep slowly. For phone photogrammetry, take overlapping photos from multiple elevations and angles.
Record a short video. Many apps convert stabilized video into a scan—this is quick in tight cockpit spaces.

Note: If you can’t scan inside the car, build a quick mock pedal box and seat to capture a repeatable driving posture.

Step 3 — Process the scan: align, clean and extract contact geometry

Scan processing steps:

Import raw scan to MeshLab/Blender. Remove noise and stray points; use decimation to keep polygon count manageable while retaining detail where the shoe contacts the pedal.
Align scan to car reference markers. Create planes for floor, firewall and pedal pivot axes. Export the cleaned mesh as an STL or OBJ.
Extract the contact patch: isolate the region where the shoe sole meets the pedal pad. You’ll use that as the direct template for pedal face curvature and size.
Optional — overlay pressure-data. If you have a pressure-mapping insole (Tekscan or hobby sensor mat), sync the pressure heatmap to the scan to find where peak force will be applied and strengthen the design there.

Step 4 — Design pedals in CAD with ergonomics in mind

This is where data becomes usable hardware. Follow these design principles:

Match the contact surface. Use the extracted sole geometry to create a pedal face that mirrors the natural foot angle and toe curve. This reduces micro-adjustments under load.
Control width and spacing. Racing pedals should avoid accidental overlap. Typical pad widths range from 35–70 mm and heights from 70–140 mm depending on driver preference and shoe size—use the scanned sole as the primary metric.
Set toe-in/out. A slight toe-in (pad angled toward the other pedals) reduces ankle strain for many drivers; use the scan to set the angle so the foot pivots naturally on the ball rather than forcing lateral calf rotation.
Consider heel support. Add a fixed or removable heel rest if the scan shows the driver’s heel drifting—this stabilizes the lower leg and enables precise modulation.
Design modular faces. Make interchangeable pedal faces (e.g., knurled aluminum, perforated stainless, rubber-insert) that bolt onto a standard hub. This reduces machining when switching materials.

Workflow example:

Import the cleaned mesh into Fusion 360 or SolidWorks as a reference body.
Sketch the pedal face outline using projected curves from the mesh; extrude and add curvature to match the foot arc.
Create pivot geometry with tolerances (see tolerances below) and include mounting holes for quick face swaps.
Run a lightweight finite-element check if the pedal will see high loads (brake pedal pads in a race car can see significant peak forces).

Tolerances and mechanical details

Suggested workshop tolerances — adjust based on machine capability:

Pivot bores: +0.02 to +0.05 mm loose for sealed bearings; +0.05 to +0.2 mm if using bushings.
Flatness and mating faces: ±0.05 mm for critical pivot and bearing surfaces.
General hole tolerances: H7/h6 fit for precision shafts if your shop can hold it; otherwise standard metric fits with locking hardware.

Step 5 — Rapid prototyping: 3D print and test

Before spending on aluminum, print a full-scale prototype:

Material choices: PETG or ASA for quick bench-testing; SLS nylon if you need flex and higher temperature resistance.
Print strategy: solid infill for contact areas (or 100% for peace of mind), reinforced ribs in the backside to simulate stiffness, and snap-in bushes or metal inserts for pivots.
Fit test: bolt the prototype onto the pedal box and have the driver drive a variety of scenarios—heel-and-toe, left-foot braking (if used), threshold braking—to validate shape and spacing.
Iterate quickly. Expect 2–4 prototype cycles; each iteration may be a few hours if you have an on-site printer.

Use the printable prototype to validate not only comfort but also how the foot tracks under aggressive inputs. If you have a pressure-mapping insole, retest to confirm force distribution shifted as expected.

Step 6 — Final manufacture: CNC or metal 3D printing

Two common final paths:

CNC machining

Best for relatively simple geometries and when you want the classic billet look.

Material: 6061-T6 for corrosion resistance and easy machining; 7075-T6 if you need a higher strength-to-weight ratio (more costly, less corrosion-resistant).
Fixturing: use soft jaws or custom fixtures to machine both faces precisely. 3-axis mills can do most pedal shapes; reserve 4-axis when you need undercuts.
Surface treatments: bead blast and anodize for corrosion resistance; knurling or laser texturing for grip. Consider using pressed-in stainless studs or replaceable steel pads where wear will be highest.
Assembly: use sealed bearings on pivot shafts where possible; press-fit bushes are a durable low-cost alternative.

Metal additive manufacturing (binder-jet or DMLS)

Ideal for organic shapes or internal weight-optimized structures. By 2026, small-run metal binder-jet services are more accessible and competitively priced for complex pedal faces.

Design for AM: lattice infill for controlled flex, internal channels for weight reduction, and integrated threads where appropriate.
Post-processing: HIP (hot isostatic pressing) and CNC finishing on pivot bores deliver the best combination of strength and dimensional accuracy.

Integration: mounting, sensors and pedal box considerations

How your custom faces interface with the pedal box matters for feel and repeatability:

Mounting hubs: create a robust, precisely located hub that mates to the existing pedal shaft. Use locking screws and threadlocker for safety.
Sensor compatibility: retain original potentiometers, hall-effect sensors, or fit load-cell adaptors as needed for brake systems or sim rigs. Avoid changing master cylinder geometry unless you have a brake engineer involved.
Adjustability: add fine adjustment for vertical offset and fore-aft position—simple eccentric mounts or slotting the hub can provide +/- 10–15 mm of adjustment for fine-tuning driver position.

Testing and validation: measure, tune, repeat

Testing is critical. Steps to validate:

Static fit: confirm pedal alignment, clearance and that each pedal returns smoothly without binding.
Pressure mapping: repeat the insole or mat test to verify force distribution improved or matches design goals.
Track test: start with low-speed laps to validate ergonomics and feel, then progressively increase load while monitoring driver feedback and brake performance.
Iterate: make small changes to pad angle, toe-in and heel rest based on driver feedback—these are often the most impactful adjustments.

Document every change. Small spacers or shims make experimentation cheap and reversible.

Safety and regulatory notes

There are legal and safety considerations when modifying pedals, especially for competition vehicles:

Do not alter master cylinder geometry or brake bias components without a qualified race engineer.
Check series or class rules—some sanctioning bodies restrict materials or require homologation for pedal modifications.
Use redundant fasteners, safety wire or threadlocker in high-vibration areas.
Always perform a thorough functional test before competitive use.

Case study: a weekend build we ran in the shop (real-world example)

We scanned a club racer in a Mazda MX-5 using a phone LiDAR and Polycam in January 2026. The timeline:

Friday evening: two scans from different angles and a 10-minute photogrammetry pass; exported clean STL by midnight.
Saturday: CAD modeling—pedal faces designed to exact sole curvature, including a 6-degree toe-in for natural pivot. 3D prints in PETG for prototypes completed by evening.
Sunday: fit test with driver; one iteration adjusting fore-aft offset. Final CNC order placed for 6061 faces with pressed-in stainless studs.
Week later: parts arrived, assembled with sealed bearings and knurled faces; on-track testing showed improved modulation and reduced ankle fatigue within two sessions.

Key lesson: Data-driven changes were small in geometry but huge in driver confidence. The scanned template eliminated guesswork on size and toe angle.

2026 trends & future predictions

What to watch for over the next 2–3 years:

Phone LiDAR and AI mesh-cleanup will continue to make in-car scanning trivial, pushing more personalization into grassroots racing and sim communities.
Metal binder-jet printing adoption will lower unit costs for complex, lightweight pedal designs—expect more lattice and topology-optimized parts in mid-level motorsport.
Integration between pressure-mapping wearables and CAD tools will improve: imagine instant heatmap overlays on your model during the design phase driven by consumer insoles.
Generative design for ergonomics: CAD platforms will offer ergonomics modules that propose pedal shapes directly from scans and usage profiles.

Actionable checklist: build your custom racing pedals

Decide scope: faces-only or full assembly?
Book scanning time: driver in full kit, shoes on.
Scan and export STL/OBJ; add reference markers.
Import to CAD; design face to match contact patch and add mounting hub.
Print prototype; test in-car with pressure mapping if possible.
Order final parts (CNC or metal AM); assemble with proper bearings and hardware.
Validate on low-speed laps, measure, refine and document changes.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Scanning barefoot: always scan in the shoes you’ll use. Barefoot scans don’t translate to real driving contact.
Skipping pressure mapping: visual fit may look correct, but peak forces can be off-center—map them before finalizing materials.
Over-machining pivot geometry: leave a small adjustment margin and use shims rather than forcing an exact fit on the first go.
Changing hydraulic components without experts: modifying pedal ratio affects brake feel and safety—consult a brake engineer.

Final thoughts — why this matters now

In 2026, the barrier to making precision, driver-specific components is lower than it’s ever been. Combining scanned human geometry with modern machining and additive methods means comfort, performance and repeatability are within reach of independent builders. Custom pedals aren’t just luxury — they’re a measurable performance tool when done correctly.

Call to action

Ready to start your own build? Download our free Pedal-Scan Checklist & Prototype Plan, or contact our shop for a plug-and-play pedal face kit tailored from your 3D scan. If you want help from planning through final machining, the-garage.shop offers bespoke design and manufacturing services—book a consult and get a parts quote today.

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