DrapeBot · Project

Robots That Help Workers Drape Carbon Fiber Parts Faster and With Fewer Defects

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Imagine laying a large, floppy sheet of carbon fiber fabric into a curved mould — like fitting a giant tablecloth perfectly into a bowl without any wrinkles. Right now, skilled workers do most of this by hand, which is slow and error-prone. DrapeBot built a system where a robot handles the easy flat areas and moves the heavy material around, while the human worker focuses on the tricky curved spots. The robot watches the person, understands what they're doing, and adjusts in real time — like a dance partner who always knows the next move.

By the numbers

30%

of all carbon fiber composite parts use draping processes

4,000

companies in Europe use draping processes

20,000

potential installations of collaborative robotic draping in Europe

consortium partners across 4 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

Carbon fiber draping — fitting flat fabric sheets into curved moulds — is still largely manual, slow, and dependent on scarce skilled workers. About 30% of all composite parts require this process, and with 4,000 European companies doing draping, the labor bottleneck limits production throughput. Wrinkles and misaligned fibers from inconsistent manual work lead to costly scrap and rework.

The solution

What was built

DrapeBot built collaborative robot workcells with custom gripper systems featuring integrated sensors, AI-driven human perception and task planning models, and low-level robot control structures. The system was demonstrated at two end-user facilities (Dallara for automotive, Baltico for shipbuilding) and evaluated against defined KPIs across 15 deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

Aerospace composite part manufacturers with manual draping linesAutomotive body panel producers using carbon fiber reinforced plasticsShipbuilders and marine manufacturers working with large composite structuresWind turbine blade manufacturers draping fiber reinforcement layersSporting goods manufacturers producing carbon fiber components

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Aerospace manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Carbon fiber composite part manufacturers supplying aircraft structures

If you are an aerospace parts manufacturer dealing with slow, manual draping of large carbon fiber panels — this project developed a collaborative robot workcell that handles material transport and low-curvature draping while your skilled workers focus on complex areas. The system was demonstrated at end-user facilities and targets roughly 30% of all composite parts that require draping.

Automotive composites

mid-size

Target: Racing car and premium vehicle body panel producers

If you are an automotive composites supplier struggling with draping consistency and throughput — this project built and tested an integrated robotic workcell at Dallara, a racing car manufacturer. The AI-driven task planning lets robots and humans split draping work efficiently, reducing cycle time on large carbon fiber body panels.

Shipbuilding

mid-size

Target: Boat builders and marine vessel manufacturers using composite materials

If you are a shipbuilder working with large carbon fiber structures and facing labor shortages for skilled draping operators — this project demonstrated its collaborative system at Baltico, a marine vessel manufacturer. The gripper system with integrated sensors handles the heavy lifting and flat-area draping, freeing workers for precision tasks on complex hull geometries.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this system actually cost to install?

The project data does not include pricing or cost-per-unit figures. However, the system is built around multi-robot workcells with custom grippers and AI control software, so expect capital equipment-level investment. Contact the coordinator for pricing discussions.

Can this scale to my production line, or is it still a lab demo?

DrapeBot moved beyond the lab. Demonstrations were conducted both in laboratory environments at DLR and at two end-user facilities — Dallara (automotive) and Baltico (shipbuilding). The project estimates a potential market of about 20,000 collaborative robotic draping installations across Europe.

Who owns the IP, and can I license this technology?

IP is held by the 9-partner consortium led by Profactor GmbH in Austria. With 4 industrial partners including 2 SMEs, there is likely interest in licensing or commercialization. Contact the coordinator to discuss licensing terms.

How does this fit with our existing draping setup?

The project adapted two different robotic workcells to specific use cases across aerospace, automotive, and shipbuilding. The system is designed to work alongside human operators, not replace them, so it can augment existing manual draping processes rather than requiring a full production line overhaul.

Is this proven for our industry specifically?

The project covered three industries explicitly: aerospace, automotive (demonstrated at Dallara), and shipbuilding (demonstrated at Baltico). The objective states about 4,000 companies in Europe use draping processes, so the technology targets a broad but specific industrial base.

What is the timeline to get this running in our facility?

The project ran from 2021 to 2024 and completed final demonstrations at M48. The robotic workcells remain available after the project for further engagement. Based on available project data, deployment readiness depends on adaptation to your specific part geometries and production requirements.

Consortium

Who built it

The DrapeBot consortium of 9 partners across Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Italy brings a strong mix of research and industry. With 4 industrial partners (44% of the consortium) including 2 SMEs, the project is firmly grounded in real manufacturing needs rather than pure academia. The coordinator, Profactor GmbH, is an Austrian applied research organization. End-user partners Dallara (automotive) and Baltico (shipbuilding) provided real production environments for testing, which significantly de-risks the technology for potential adopters. The presence of DLR (German Aerospace Center) adds aerospace credibility. For a business considering this technology, the multi-industry consortium means the system has been validated across different part sizes, materials, and production contexts.

PROFACTOR GMBHCoordinator · AT
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVAparticipant · IT
DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EVparticipant · DE
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHEparticipant · IT
IT+ROBOTICS SRLparticipant · IT
BALTICO GMBHparticipant · DE
DALLARA AUTOMOBILI SPAparticipant · IT
AALBORG UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK

How to reach the team

Profactor GmbH (Austria) — applied research organization, project coordinator. Use SciTransfer matchmaking service for a warm introduction.

Order a report on this consortium See PROFACTOR GMBH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore collaborative robotic draping for your carbon fiber production? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the DrapeBot team and help you evaluate fit for your specific use case.

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