Caracol Partners with Additive Engineering Solutions for Aerospace and Defense

The aerospace and defense industry is increasingly turning toward additive manufacturing because the technology can offer custom, highly optimized solutions for complex applications. Due to the growing demand, more and more partnerships are emerging between different companies, with the aim of further technological development. Now, Caracol and Additive Engineering Solutions (AES) have partnered to accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing in the aerospace and defense sectors. The Italian American company Caracol is a leader in large-format robotic industrial additive manufacturing (LFAM), while U.S.-based AES is positioned as a global provider of large-format 3D printing services, especially for demanding industries such as aerospace.

Specifically, AES specializes in full-scale aerospace and defense industry composite tooling and engineering prototypes for both OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. It was established in 2015 and over time has specialized in large-format 3D printing using advanced equipment. The company has achieved AS9100 quality management system certification and compliance with NIST cybersecurity standards, positioning it as an ideal partner for Caracol in the United States.

In recent years, Caracol has established its position internationally and in the US in particular. It recently launched the Vipra AM 3D directed energy deposition (DED) system, which joins the Heron robotic system for polymers. The company, based near Milan, is the first LFAM company in Europe to have its own AS9100-certified production facility.