Northwest Aerospace News December 2018 | January 2019 Issue No. 6 | Page 9

Continuous
Composites
Inspires in Coeur d’Alene
Continuous Fiber 3D printing (CF3D™) is revolutionizing composites manufacturing
By Jennifer Ferrero, APR
C
oeur d’Alene, Idaho is widely known for its resort atmosphere, beautiful beach-
es, and outdoor living. However, less than one block from its historic and touristy main
street, and a stone’s throw from the lake, is something few would expect to see — Con-
tinuous Composites, one of the world’s top innovators in Continuous Fiber 3D Printing
(CF3D™), developing technology that is going to revolutionize manufacturing as we know
it today.
Continuous Fiber 3D Printing (CF3D™) is a paradigm shift in composites manufactur-
ing. It combines high-strength, low-weight materials with a 3D printing process using ro-
botics. CF3D™ drastically reduces lead times and manufacturing costs exponentially. The
result is a moldless, out-of-autoclave (OOA) composites manufacturing process that uses
off-the-shelf, cost-effective, dry continuous fibers of any material type. Complementing the
high-performance structural fibers, CF3D™ can also print continuous functional fibers
like copper, nichrome, or fiber optics to bring the part to life and make smart-composite
structures an industry standard. CF3D™ has applications around the world in aerospace,
automotive, construction, energy, marine, and sporting goods industries.
DECEMBER | JANUARY 2019 ISSUE NO. 6
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