Mikrosam expands into North America

Mikrosam AD (Prilep, Macedonia), а developer and manufacturer of composites manufacturing equipment and software in more than 40 countries throughout Europe, Asia and South America, reported on Nov. 14 that it is entering into partnership with Composite Automation LLC (Collingswood, NJ, US) to bring its solutions to the North American market. Mikrosam says that with the growth in advanced composite parts production, the need for sophisticated automated fiber placement and automated tape laying (AFP/ATL) systems in the North American market has never been greater.

“John Melilli and Composite Automation LLC have built a winning team to represent us on the North American market,” says Samoil Samak, vice president, Mikrosam. “Each team member has individually distinguished himself in the composite manufacturing industry. As a unit, they offer unrivaled expertise in a wide range of applications. We are very excited to have this dynamic sales force representing Mikrosam’s composites manufacturing solutions as we expand across the U.S., and now in Canada too. CAMX visitors are welcomed to meet Mikrosam and Composite Automation team at booth B27.”

This fall, Mikrosam invested more than US$2.3 million in an advanced composites R&D and customer solution center. The center is fully equipped with Mikrosam’s latest suite of composites solutions including test panel manufacturing and testing, filament winding machine, multi-head AFP/ATL robotic machine, prepreg machine, slitting and rewinding machine and Mikrosam’s Mikroplace software demo and training center. The multi-head AFP/ATL robotic machine is configured to lay up thermoplastic tape and tows, thermoset towpreg and dry tape in widths from 0.125 inch to 12 inches. The modern thermoplastic ATL head is equipped with laser heating for temperature control of the in-situ consolidation process. The thermoset AFP head is equipped with an infrared heating unit. Mikrosam’s customers can perform prototyping, testing, product design, technology development and can receive the necessary expertise to meet their specific composites manufacturing automation challenges. 

“I am delighted to collaborate with Mikrosam, bringing a wealth of expertise to the field of composites manufacturing. We want to emphasize that Mikrosam provides the leading-edge technologies for automated placement of thermoset and thermoplastic fibers and tape using both advanced robotics and gantry systems,” says John Melilli, president of Composite Automation. “Since opening the customer solution center, we have already had three groups visit from North America who have confirmed the advanced level of performance they saw at Mikrosam’s customer center. I saw the system performing on various flat, highly contoured, open and closed surfaces. The equipment produced small and medium sized lightweight composite parts in front of our eyes.  Mikrosam’s machines can solve many of the challenges facing today’s composites manufacturers.  We are excited to contribute to Mikrosam’s growing business here in North America and welcome interested parties to visit their advanced R&D customer solution center.”