Let’s be honest, most innovation in the 4X4 world doesn’t come from boardrooms or flashy press releases. It comes from blokes in sheds solving problems with what they’ve got on hand. That’s exactly what happened when a new bit of kit from REDARC hit the market… with what one bloke reckons is a pretty crucial addition.
The Problem:
The REDARC BCDC Alpha is a seriously impressive bit of tech. Compact, powerful, and designed to handle the harsh realities of off-grid travel. But as anyone who’s done a few installs knows, clean wiring and protected terminals aren’t just nice to have, they’re essential.
For Marty, a key player inside REDARC and someone deeply involved in large-scale builds (think 300 vehicles a year for one customer alone), it was a glaring gap. “Leaving critical electrical connections exposed just wasn’t an option,” he told us. “The unit was ready. But the cover wasn’t.”
Rather than sit around waiting for a factory solution, Marty made a call to a mate named Burty. “He’s a wizard with 3D printing,” says Marty. “Within an hour of our chat, he’d scanned the unit and mocked up a prototype. Four hours later, the first version was off the printer.”
From that first print came a few design tweaks, a production-ready model, and eventually a proper product listing on 3DTech’s website. Made from tough ABS plastic and available in a handful of colours, the clip-on terminal cover now offers a simple, durable solution to a real-world problem.
From Shed Hack to Must-Have Mod:
Rather than keep it in-house, Marty and Burty decided to offer the cover publicly. “I shared early versions with a few trusted influencers for feedback and just like that, our cover was on its way to becoming a must-have accessory.”
It’s a story we’re hearing more and more: someone sees a gap in the market, plugs it with a one-off printed part, and ends up creating something the whole community can use. It’s the new wave of customisation. Driven by hobbyists, tradies, and tech-savvy tourers.
3D printing’s no longer just for quirky keyrings or RC car parts. High-performance printers like the ones used by 3DTech are now capable of turning out durable, vehicle-ready components with incredible turnaround times. Think switch panel blanks, antenna mounts, custom brackets, cable shields, you name it.
And it’s not just about speed. It’s about flexibility. Need a part that doesn’t exist? Print it. Need five slightly different versions? Done. For remote travellers, van builders, or anyone doing repeated installs, this kind of adaptability is game-changing.
The Takeaway:
Whether you’re building a tourer in your driveway or speccing up rigs commercially, there’s a lot to love about what 3D printing is bringing to the table. And thanks to blokes like Marty and Burty, that innovation’s not just theoretical, it’s ready to bolt into your next build for just $24.95.
The REDARC BCDC Alpha terminal cover might look like a small mod. But behind it is a big shift in how we solve problems in the 4X4 world.
