9t labs (Zurich, Switzerland) is a derivative company and OEM of composite equipment and software of the Federal Institute of technology of Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology). It has completed a round of financing and raised US $17million to further commercialize the company's red series additional fusion for the solution platform for producing carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composite parts. Major investors include STRATASYS, a 3D printing company (Rehovot, Israel), the venture capital Department of Solvay SA (Solvay ventures, Brussels, Belgium), a supplier of high-performance thermoplastic composites, and venture investors verve ventures (Zurich), ACE & Company (Geneva, Switzerland), Z ü RCHER kantonalbank (Zurich) and wingman ventures (Zurich).
The technology platform of 9t labs can produce high-performance structural components of bench size with CFRTP composites, with an annual output ranging from 100 to more than 100000. It combines software and 3D printing with compression molding in matching metal molds, providing a more sustainable and high-performance alternative to traditional metal and plastic manufacturing technologies. According to 9t labs, it is used by Fortune 500 aerospace companies to lightweight future mobile plans, by medical companies to reduce material waste in manufacturing medical devices, and by leisure and luxury industries to provide more functions for consumer products.
The funds raised in the A-Series investment will be used to fund the next phase of growth of 9t labs to help its customers expand their applications to large quantities, supplement the current material portfolio and develop future technology platforms. "Their [9t labs'] additive fusion technology takes advantage of printing, automatic tape laying and compression molding to provide fully dense components with multidirectional reinforcement," said Adam pawloski, vice president of STRATASYS manufacturing solutions. "In addition, this technology can be extended to the number of production parts required by series manufacturers. The end result is a solution that has the potential to shift the industry from metal parts to composite parts."
After this round of investment, John hartner, the former CEO of exone (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA), will join the board of 9t labs as chairman. Hartner has more than 30 years of experience in the automation, semiconductor, cleaning technology and 3D printing industries. Martin eichenhofer of 9t added, "this round of investment and the comprehensive expertise with our partners will enable us to achieve the next major leap in commercialization and fulfill our mission to widely replace metal parts with fully recyclable high-performance carbon composites." Co founder and CEO of the laboratory. "Through this support, we will be able to show things we couldn't imagine 10 years ago."