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Eligio Re Fraschini explores the future of aerospace tooling with robotic metal AM image

In the aerospace sector, tooling must combine precision, strength, and efficiency under strict constraints. To explore the potential of metal additive manufacturing for future aerospace tooling applications, Eligio Re Fraschini and Caracol developed a joint pilot project, co-funded by both parties. The objective was to test and validate Caracol’s Vipra AM platform on a spar tool component, assessing its ability to reduce time to market and production costs, with a clear view toward scalability on larger formats.Caracol-AM-Tooling-Aerospace-ReFraschini-Metal-3D-Printing

Testing the technology: a pilot project for future aerospace tooling

Eligio Re Fraschini operates in a highly demanding industrial environment, where tooling components must combine structural integrity with dimensional accuracy. This project focused on the production of a small-scale aerospace spar tool intended for carbon fiber lamination processes, characterized by complex geometries and tight tolerances. The component served as a controlled validation test, designed to assess the technology’s real-world capabilities and lay the groundwork for future manufacturing programs, with the understanding that the same approach can scale to significantly larger formats.

Traditionally, such components are manufactured using subtractive methods or casting, requiring extensive tooling, long lead times, and high material consumption. The explicit goal was to demonstrate that robotic metal AM can deliver measurable advantages in efficiency, cost, and scalability; even on geometrically complex, high-demand components.

From constraints to opportunity: how WAAM addresses aerospace tooling challenges

Conventional manufacturing approaches present well-known limitations in aerospace tooling: high reliance on dedicated tooling, long development cycles, significant material waste from subtractive processes, and limited flexibility when design iterations are required. This project was structured to assess whether robotic metal additive manufacturing could offer a credible alternative, reducing time to market and overall production costs, while maintaining the quality standards required by aerospace applications.Caracol-Additive-Manufacturing-Tooling-Aerospace-Refraschini-Milling-Metal

The collaboration leveraged Caracol’s Vipra AM platform to demonstrate a viable path beyond the constraints of traditional manufacturing. The DED-based process enabled the direct production of near-net-shape components, eliminating the need for complex tooling and significantly simplifying the manufacturing workflow. High deposition rates allowed faster build times, while maintaining precise control over geometry and thermal input.

Printing specifications:

  • System: Vipra XP (CMT-based WAAM technology)
  • Material: 316L stainless steel
  • Deposition rate: 3.7 kg/h
  • Part size: 1000 × 550 × 85 mm
  • Part weight: 110 kg
  • Print time: 30 hours
  • Post-processing: CNC machining

Pilot results: validating efficiency, weight reduction, and scalability potential
The results confirmed the concrete potential of robotic metal additive manufacturing for aerospace tooling. The near-net-shape approach significantly reduced material waste and improved overall resource efficiency, while eliminating traditional tooling setups and capitalizing on high deposition rates to cut production time substantially.

A key outcome was a 50% reduction in tool weight compared to an equivalent part produced via conventional manufacturing, confirming that additive manufacturing can optimize not just the process, but also the final product’s performance. The project establishes a clear technical and economic foundation for future deployments, demonstrating that the same manufacturing approach can be integrated into active production programs at scale.Caracol-3D-Printing-Tooling-Aerospace-Refraschini

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