Solvay Ventures, the venture capital fund of Solvay, is investing in the Zurich-based startup 9T Labs to bring additive manufacturing of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) parts to mass production. 

 

9T Labs’ hybrid manufacturing technology enables complex, high-performance structural parts to be produced in carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites in volumes up to thousands of parts per year. It provides a cost-competitive solution for manufacturing that will allow structural CFRP parts to replace metals at a much faster rate in demanding applications in many sectors such as aerospace, automotive and healthcare. 

 

“9T Labs combines the flexibility and optimization potential of 3D printing with the mechanical performance of compression molded parts, bringing the best of both additive and conventional manufacturing to the world of advanced materials.” says Thomas Canova, head of technology scouting and venturing at Solvay.

 

This technology complements Solvay’s unmatched portfolio of high-performance thermoplastic polymers and deep expertise in the production of thermoplastic composite prepreg tape to make the next big leap. As a leader in thermoplastic composites, Solvay also brings unparalleled expertise in the engineering of material solutions to ensure the technology can be integrated seamlessly into manufacturing lines of 9T Labs’ customers.

 

“For the fabrication of smaller and complex parts, metals still prevail because the manufacturing of structural CFRP parts has not been cost-competitive or in a lot of cases technologically feasible,” adds Martin Eichenhofer, 9T Labs co-founder and CEO. “Our technology combined with Solvay’s high-performance and recyclable materials will change this and make CFRP parts more sustainable, accessible and cost-competitive, especially at higher volumes. In addition, the participation of Solvay Ventures in a consortium of high-caliber investors provides us with the funds to rapidly scale our business.”