3D PRINTING
REDEFINING PRODUCTION MODELS WITH LARGE-FORMAT ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
Large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) is rapidly becoming a strategic enabler for more flexible, efficient, and localised production models. As manufacturers face increasing pressure to reduce lead times, cut material waste, and strengthen supply-chain resilience, automated large-scale 3D printing offers a way to produce large, complex components directly from digital designs—either by transforming how molds and tooling are made or by printing end-use parts directly. Across industries such as shipbuilding and distributed microfactory production, LFAM is already reshaping how and where manufacturing happens. CEAD and Comau are at the forefront of this shift, combining CEAD’s scalable Flexbot platform with Comau’s high-payload robotics and CNC-based control to deliver stable, production-ready LFAM systems. The joint solution demonstrates how advanced robotics, integrated process control, and application-driven engineering are enabling manufacturers to adopt LFAM as a practical, industrialised alternative to traditional production methods.
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s manufacturers face mounting pressure to reduce lead times, cut material waste, and localise production, automated large-scale 3D printing is emerging as a critical enabler of more flexible and resilient manufacturing models. Large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) enables the direct manufacturing of large, complex components from digital designs, providing the option to either transform how molds and tooling are made or skip the mold-making step entirely by printing the end product directly. With applications ranging from shipbuilding to distributed microfactory manufacturing models, LFAM is redefining how and where production takes place. This shift enables more flexible, distributed production models that respond faster to demand while strengthening supply-chain responsiveness. A clear example of this transformation is found in the naval sector, where LFAM is already used to produce full-scale structures. Recent footage of CEAD’s Faber Navalis system,a dedicated, application-specific solution shows the CEAD printing system, powered by a Comau robotic arm printing a 12 meter, single piece boat hull
layer
by layer. The process, which takes approximately eight days, delivers substantial reductions in manual labor requirements and material waste compared to traditional shipbuilding methods. The technology behind CEAD’s broader LFAM offering is the Flexbot platform, a modular, industrial-scale manufacturing system built around Comau’s high-payload robotic arms. Flexbot integrates multiple processes such as large-scale printing and milling within a single automated cell, ensuring continuous material flow, precise multi- axis motion, and integrated finishing operations. Comau’s robotic systems provide the accuracy, repeatability, and reliability, all of which are required for stable, production-ready LFAM, while CEAD’s system-level engineering ensures structural continuity and process control. The platform
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is inherently scalable, allowing manufacturers to expand build volumes, add capabilities, or transition from standalone cells to fully integrated microfactory environments.
From an operational perspective, the integration of Siemens SINUMERIK Run MyRobot / Direct Control enables direct CNC control of the robot, replacing traditional robot programming. CNC-based control is industry standard, familiar to operators, and easier to integrate into existing production facilities. Combined with Comau’s robotic systems, this results in enhanced path accuracy, smoother motion control, and improved process stability ensuring consistent part quality and predictable, repeatable production performance. Flexbot’s combination of multi-axis robotic motion and extrusion -based thermoplastic composite printing enables the production of complex geometries and large -scale structures that exceed the limitations of
conventional systems. The platform operates without a dedicated build chamber, allowing the Comau robot to work in an open environment defined by safety parameters while maintaining high positional accuracy along complex toolpaths.
This same core technology is already used in compact, robot-driven microfactories, where production is executed on demand and close to the point of use. These modular systems allow manufacturers to replicate advanced production capabilities anywhere in the world. Comau and CEAD are enabling customers to shift from centralised, traditional production to distributed manufacturing models capable of delivering large, complex components with reduced lead times, optimised material usage, and greater responsiveness to local demand. One example is Haddy in St. Petersburg, Florida, where eight Flexbots run production at scale.
Summer 2026 UKManufacturing
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