Caracol, AES forge LFAM-centered partnership

Industrial robotic large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) company Caracol (Milan, Italy) announces a strategic partnership with Additive Engineering Solutions (AES, Akron, Ohio, U.S.), specializing in turnkey LFAM services. This collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of AM within the aerospace and defense (A&D) sector.

“A&D application development is at the core of what AES does on a daily basis,” says Austin Schmidt, president and co-founder of AES. “Aside from expanding our reach in this industry, Caracol’s offering of turnkey polymer and metallic robotic platforms is of interest to AES as we continue to evolve in the LFAM market.”

The partnership will include AES installing a Heron AM platform to further expand its capabilities. Leveraging its in-depth understanding of A&D requirements with Caracol’s technology will enable AES to process critical projects like tooling for composites and full-scale engineering mockups.

AES has expertise in providing tooling for composites and full-scale engineering mockups for A&D OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. The company maintains credentials such as aerospace AS9100 Quality Management System (QMS) certification and compliance with NIST Cybersecurity standards.

Caracol reports that its integrated robotic AM platform, Heron AM, has already gained traction globally in the A&D sector. More specifically, the company offers distinctive know-how on leveraging robotics for large-format 3D printing in thermoplastic composites and metals, having developed turnkey platforms that integrate both hardware and software.

With a shared application-driven DNA, the two companies aim to further the work being done by merging expertise in technology, sector and projects. AES, with its robust capabilities and market presence, is an ideal collaborator for Caracol — conversely, the latter’s modular, turnkey setup will enable AES to easily scale and adapt to its production needs. “Together, we can really push the boundaries of LFAM in highly regulated industries for both polymers and metal applications,” notes Francesco De Stefano, CEO and co-founder of Caracol.