Andrew Bader, Vice President and co-founder at AES, and Francesco De Stefano, CEO and co-founder at Caracol
Caracol, provider of industrial robotic large format additive manufacturing (LFAM), has announced a strategic partnership with Additive Engineering Solutions (AES), provider of turn-key LFAM services. This collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of AM within the aerospace & defense (A&D) sector.
The collaboration will include AES installing a Heron AM platform to further expand its capabilities while focusing on leveraging AES's in-depth understanding of A&D requirements with Caracol's advanced technology to process critical projects like tooling for composites and full-scale engineering mockups.
AES, which provides tooling for composites and full-scale engineering mockups for A&D original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers, brings deep industry experience, an aerospace AS9100 Quality Management System certification and compliance with NIST Cybersecurity standards to the partnership. These credentials position AES as a trusted provider within the U.S. aerospace & defense industry, the company noted.
Caracol's integrated robotic AM platform, Heron AM, has already gained traction globally in the A&D sector, given the company's experience on production of composite tooling, as the first LFAM company to have AS9100-certified production facility in Europe. More specifically, the company has experience leveraging robotics for large format 3D printing in both thermoplastic composites and metals, having developed turn-key platforms that integrate hardware and software.
With a shared application-driven DNA, the two companies aim to further the work they have been doing by merging their expertise in technology, sector and projects to boost innovation in A&D-specific applications. AES, with its robust capabilities and market presence, is an ideal collaborator for Caracol, and the latter's modular, turn-key set-up will allow AES to easily scale and adapt to its production needs. This partnership will reportedly strengthen both companies' positions as leaders in the rapidly evolving field of AM.
"We are very happy for this strategic partnership with AES. Their knowledge and experience in developing cutting-edge applications for the A&D industry matches Caracol's DNA in developing application-driven integrated turnkey HW/SW technological platforms," said Francesco De Stefano, CEO and co-founder of Caracol. "Together, we can really push the boundaries of large format AM in highly regulated industries for polymers and metal applications."
"We are excited to partner with Caracol as A&D application development is at the core of what AES does on a daily basis," said Austin Schmidt, President and co-founder of AES. "Aside from expanding our reach in this industry, Caracol's offering of turn-key polymer and metallic robotic platforms is of interest to AES as we continue to evolve in the LFAM market."
For more information contact:
Caracol
12317 Technology Road, Ste. 100
Austin, TX 78727
info@caracol-am.com
Additive Engineering Solutions
990 Evans Ave
Akron, OH 44305
800-210-9801
sales@additiveeng.com