Caracol’s LFAM technology drives the production of a Next-Generation Stratospheric Gondola

Within the European DeremCo project, Caracol applied its robotic LFAM technology Heron AM to produce a 3D master model for the carbon fiber lamination of a Stratospheric Gondola. From CAD design to model production and mold lamination, this initiative explores innovative, fully recyclable materials for stratospheric platforms, reducing environmental impact while maintaining high-performance capabilities for high-altitude composite structures.

Additive manufacturing is rapidly reshaping how advanced aerospace components are designed and produced. In this context, Caracol has once again proven the potential of its Large Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM) solutions by contributing to the development of a next-generation gondola for stratospheric missions.

The project, carried out within DeremCo initiative, as winner in the Open calls Deremco, demonstrates how sustainable materials and digital manufacturing can deliver lighter, more efficient, and fully validated aerospace structures. It represents a key milestone in applying circular economy principles to high-performance composite production.

From digital design to industrial production

As part of the Open Calls in “DeremCo – De & Remanufacturing for Circular Economy Investments” in the Composite Industry initiative, Caracol played a central role in developing a new gondola prototype for Involve Space, designed for long-duration stratospheric missions. The goal was to create a lightweight and robust structure capable of housing communication, navigation, and power systems. Leveraging the collective expertise of the partners, materials, printing techniques, and lamination patterns were defined. Building on these inputs, Caracol supported the master model manufacturing, providing and setting the printing parameters, with the selected and already tested compound ABS + 20% recycled carbon fiber, from EoL wind blades, supplied by Carbon Cleanup.

The master model was successfully produced by Torino Crea adopting the printing parameters established by Caracol and leveraging its Heron AM LFAM platform, ensuring the required mechanical precision and surface quality. The printed model was then CNC-machined to achieve the final dimensional accuracy necessary for composite lamination. This model served as the foundation for mold fabrication, which was carried out by Acus. Subsequently, Acus, in coordination with Involve, manufactured five complete gondolas — including both body and cap — using carbon and glass fiber composites, fine-tuning process parameters to achieve optimal performance and reliability. The result is a fully validated prototype, ready for industrialization and scalable aerospace production.

Technical details of the 3D printed master model production:

• System: Heron 300 + HV Extruder
• Nozzle Size: 12 mm
• Material: ABS + 20rCF
• Size: 790 × 420 × 390 mm
• Weight: 70 kg
• Print Time: 10 hrs
• Post-Production: CNC

Main benefits achieved applying LFAM technologies rather than traditional production technologies:

• Lead Time Reduction: 75%
• Cost Reduction: 55%
• Weight Reduction: 85%

Testing, Collaboration, and Future Developments

The gondola’s validation phase demonstrated the advantages of LFAM over traditional manufacturing, including significant reductions in lead time, costs, waste, and weight. The project’s success stemmed from the strong collaboration between European partners: Carbon Cleanup developed the sustainable composite material; Torino Crea ensured accuracy in 3D printing through LFAM HERON AM Caracol’s system; Acus finalized the mold production and the lamination process.

Caracol, a key partner in the DeremCo consortium, played a mentoring role in the open call, providing technical oversight, coordinating with consortium partners, and supporting the applicant in aligning all phases of design, production, and validation. The initiative not only supports DeremCo’s mission to integrate circular and high-performance materials in industry but also strengthens Europe’s innovation capabilities in aerospace manufacturing. The validated prototype confirms Caracol’s Heron AM technology as a key enabler for efficient, sustainable, and high-precision composite production in next-generation aerospace systems.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s ERDF under grant agreement No 101084037. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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