ROBOZE and SUPSI have launched a joint R&D program targeting additive manufacturing of Carbon-Carbon and Ceramic Matrix Composites, two material families that have remained inaccessible to AM due to extreme processing requirements
- This is a materials science challenge as much as a manufacturing challenge, requiring tight integration between the AM process and subsequent thermal conversion steps
- For aerospace and energy engineers, successful outcomes could mean design freedoms currently unavailable with these material systems
The Problem: AM Has Been Locked Out of C/C and CMC
Carbon-Carbon and Ceramic Matrix Composites are among the most thermally resistant materials in engineering. C/C composites maintain structural integrity past 2,000°C while CMC systems offer superior oxidation resistance in sustained high-temperature service. Both are critical for hypersonic airframes, nuclear fusion reactor components, and advanced turbine hardware.
The catch: neither material family has been compatible with additive manufacturing workflows. The thermal conversion processes required to develop proper fiber-matrix architecture demand conditions that conventional AM systems cannot achieve, and the post-processing protocols necessary to reach target mechanical properties have remained out of reach for printed geometries.
The Solution: Joint Development Between AM Specialist and Materials Lab
ROBOZE, which has built its reputation on high-temperature polymer extrusion systems, is pairing with SUPSI's Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Technology (MEMTi) and its Hybrid Materials Laboratory, led by Prof. Alberto Ortona. ROBOZE brings its expertise in high-performance production technologies. SUPSI contributes advanced thermal conversion capabilities, deep materials science knowledge, and comprehensive material characterization infrastructure.
The collaboration targets a specific gap: enabling additively manufactured C/C and CMC components that meet the microstructural and mechanical property requirements for extreme environment deployment. The teams are not simply trying to print these materials; they are working toward an integrated process chain where printing and thermal conversion are optimized together.
The Technical Work Ahead
ROBOZE's Chief R&D and Product Officer Simone Cuscito outlined the scope: "By combining our expertise in high-performance production technologies with SUPSI's advanced thermal conversion capabilities, we are enabling a new generation of additively manufactured C-C and CMC materials capable of performing in extreme conditions."
The development program will focus on process parameters for each material system, thermal cycling protocols during post-processing, and validation of resulting mechanical and thermal properties against existing aerospace and energy sector specifications. The teams will also need to address how AM-designed geometries interact with the conversion process, since layer-by-layer deposition creates different microstructural evolution patterns than traditional layup or infiltration methods.
"Together, we are creating new opportunities to engineer Carbon-Carbon and CMC materials with tailored properties, opening the door to applications where performance, reliability, and resistance to extreme conditions are critical," said Prof. Ortona.
Why This Matters
Additive manufacturing of C/C and CMC would open design freedoms currently unavailable for these material systems. Complex cooling channels, integrated thermal management structures, and topology-optimized load paths have been theoretical possibilities for these materials but practically inaccessible because traditional manufacturing constrains geometry. If the ROBOZE-SUPSI program can establish viable process chains, it changes what thermal protection systems and high-temperature structural components can look like.
The nuclear fusion angle deserves attention. Next-generation fusion reactors require materials that survive both extreme temperatures and intense neutron bombardment. C/C composites are candidates for first-wall and divertor components, and printed geometries could enable more efficient heat flux management designs than current manufacturing allows.
Timeline and Next Steps
Neither organization has released specific development milestones or commercial availability targets. The work is explicitly framed as research and development, with primary focus on establishing process parameters and characterizing material properties. Publication of technical results, likely through peer-reviewed channels given the academic partnership structure, will be the first indicator of progress.
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M4S TAKE
My take: partnerships only work when both sides bring something the other cannot build quickly. The test is whether the combined offering solves a problem neither could address alone. If it does, this is worth watching.
Simon McLoughlin
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