As a city that has long been recognized as a global fashion and architecture capital, it is no surprise that Milan today remains at the cutting edge of design, always embracing new modes of creating and innovative new ideas. This is made clear by Designtech, a Milan-based hub for design innovation, whose whole mission is to give up-and-coming designers and startups the digital fabrication tools to turn their ideas into real products. At its CoFactory in the northwest of Milan, Designtech offers its members space and resources for developing, prototyping, and even testing new designs. Soon, this incubation hub will also include a dedicated facility for robotic large-format additive manufacturing.

This new LFAM design hub is being realized through a close collaboration between Designtech, Milan-based robotic LFAM company Caracol, and LAMÁQUINA, a Barcelona-based 3D printing service specializing in large scale projects. Together, they are building Milan’s “first permanent hub for robotic large-format additive manufacturing applied to design.” The goal of creating this dynamic space is to empower Milan’s design community to think and build big.

“Designtech doesn’t build products,” explained Designtech CEO Ivan Tallarico. “We build the ecosystem that makes breakthrough products possible. We connect technologies, manufacturing capabilities, creative talent and industry partners into a single ecosystem where ambitious ideas become real products, spaces and businesses.”

The new LFAM design hub will be equipped with robotic 3D printing technology from Caracol. Specifically, the site will run the company’s complete robotic advanced manufacturing ecosystem, comprising the Heron AM platform and Eidos Manufacturing software. The Heron AM 3D printer, which is already operational at Designtech, is capable of printing a wide range of materials, including standard thermoplastics and fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites. With a six-axis architecture, the 3D printer can also build large, complex geometries, such as non-planar tool paths and acute angles.

The design hub will be managed by LAMÁQUINA, which will offer users its expertise in LFAM design fabrication. This expertise can’t be overstated: the company has worked with high-profile brands and organizations to bring truly incredible large-scale 3D printed installations and pieces to life. Among some of the more notable projects that we’ve covered recently is a series of 3D printed ceramic tiles, which helped complete the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família in Barcelona; and Great Wave-inspired 3D printed wall panels for the Japanese restaurant Odachi in Kuwait.

As part of the design hub, Designtech, Caracol, and LAMÁQUINA hope to promote the abilities of robotic LFAM and teach relevant skills to a broader community of designers. As Paolo Cassis, COO and co-founder of Caracol, said: “Milan sits at the intersection of design, creativity, and industrial progress: this the ideal place to gather together all the players needed to make this ecosystem work. This partnership reflects an integrated Made in Italy approach, valuing not just new design concepts but deep engineering know-how. Caracol’s role is to be the technological enabler of that heritage, building the tools to scale it globally.”