CFAM · Project

Giant 3D Printer That Makes Large Composite Parts Without Expensive Molds

manufacturingMarket-readyTRL 9

Imagine you need a big, custom-shaped boat hull or bridge component made from strong, lightweight composite material. Normally, you'd have to build an expensive mold first and probably ship production to Asia, waiting up to 8 weeks. CEAD built what is essentially a giant 3D printer — one of the largest in the world — that prints carbon-fiber and glass-fiber parts directly, no mold needed. It works at industrial speed, costs about 50 euros per hour to run, and keeps manufacturing local in Europe.

By the numbers

50 €/h

Operating cost including material, personnel, and depreciation

15 kg/h

Maximum printing throughput

1.5 m × 4 m × 2 m

Build volume of the CFAM machine

8 weeks

Current lead time when outsourcing to Asia (eliminated by CFAM)

€17 million

Projected company turnover target for 2022

Launching customers secured during the project

TRL 6 → TRL 9

Technology readiness progression during the project

The business problem

What needed solving

European manufacturers of large composite parts — boat builders, infrastructure suppliers, industrial equipment makers — face a painful choice: invest heavily in expensive molds for small production runs, or outsource to Asia and accept lead times of up to 8 weeks. Neither option works well for custom, low-volume, large-sized composite components. The industry needs a way to produce these parts locally, quickly, and affordably without molds.

The solution

What was built

CEAD BV built the largest continuous-fiber additive manufacturing machine (1.5 m × 4 m × 2 m build volume) capable of 3D-printing carbon- and glass-fiber parts at up to 15 kg/h. They also established an Experience Center for live demonstrations and manufacture-as-a-service.

Audience

Who needs this

Shipyards and marine component manufacturers producing custom composite partsConstruction firms needing large prefab composite structural elementsIndustrial prototyping service bureaus handling large-format composite ordersYacht builders requiring custom hulls and deck components without mold investmentWind energy companies needing large composite tooling or replacement parts

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Maritime & Shipbuilding

SME

Target: Boat builders and marine component manufacturers

If you are a shipyard or marine parts manufacturer dealing with expensive molds and 8-week lead times from Asian suppliers — this project built a large-scale 3D printing machine (1.5 m × 4 m × 2 m build volume) that produces carbon- and glass-fiber composite parts at up to 15 kg/h, with operating costs of about 50 €/h. You can manufacture custom hulls, deck structures, and fittings locally without mold investment.

Infrastructure & Construction

mid-size

Target: Construction firms and prefab component suppliers

If you are a construction company needing custom composite structural elements — bridges, architectural facades, or reinforcement components — in small batches, this machine eliminates the mold entirely. With a build volume of 1.5 m × 4 m × 2 m and throughput of up to 15 kg/h, you can prototype and produce large-scale composite parts on demand, cutting lead times from 8 weeks to days.

Industrial Equipment & Prototyping

any

Target: Industrial design firms and rapid prototyping bureaus

If you are an industrial prototyping service dealing with clients who need large composite parts but cannot justify mold costs for small batches — CFAM's machine operates at about 50 €/h including material, personnel, and depreciation. The Experience Center also offers manufacture-as-a-service for clients wanting to test the technology before purchasing their own machine.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does it cost to operate this machine?

The project reports an operating cost of about 50 €/h, which includes material, personnel, and depreciation. This is significantly cheaper than traditional mold-based manufacturing for small-batch or one-off large composite parts, where the mold alone can cost tens of thousands of euros.

How big can the printed parts be?

The CFAM machine has a build volume of 1.5 m × 4 m × 2 m, making it one of the largest additive manufacturing systems for composite materials. It can print at up to 15 kg/h throughput, handling both carbon-fiber and glass-fiber materials.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

CEAD BV (Netherlands) is the sole developer and owner of the CFAM technology. Based on available project data, the machine was developed from TRL 6 to TRL 9 with the goal of direct European market sales. Contact CEAD BV for purchasing or licensing terms.

Is this actually ready to buy, or still in the lab?

The project started at TRL 6 (working prototype with all critical technologies tested) and aimed to reach TRL 9 (market-ready). The project is closed, two Dutch SME launching customers were already secured during the project, and a final event was held at the Experience Center to attract additional customers.

Can this integrate into an existing production line?

The CFAM machine is designed as a standalone additive manufacturing system. CEAD BV also built an Experience Center offering manufacture-as-a-service, allowing potential buyers to test the technology and produce prototypes before committing to a purchase.

What materials can it print with?

Based on the project objective, the machine handles both carbon-fiber and glass-fiber reinforced composites. These are the standard high-performance materials used across maritime, infrastructure, and industrial applications for their strength-to-weight ratio.

How does this compare to outsourcing production to Asia?

The project specifically addresses the problem of European manufacturers sending composite production to Asia to save on labor costs, which introduces lead times of up to 8 weeks. CFAM enables local European manufacturing at about 50 €/h, eliminating both the mold cost and the overseas shipping delay.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a single-company project by CEAD BV, a Dutch SME funded under the EIC SME Instrument (Phase 2). The 100% industry composition with zero academic partners signals this is a pure commercialization effort, not a research project. CEAD BV is both the developer and the future seller of the technology. The fact that they secured SME Instrument funding — one of the most competitive EU schemes — validates the market potential. With two launching customers already in place during the project and a turnover target of €17 million, this is a company scaling a real product, not a lab exploring possibilities.

How to reach the team

CEAD BV is based in the Netherlands. Visit ceadgroup.com for direct contact with their sales team.

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Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to CEAD BV to discuss the CFAM machine for your production needs? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the team.

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