With lightweight composites long used in aerospace to improve fuel economy , available manufacturing technologies have been judged too slow and expensive for automotive applications. The manufacturing technology developed by WEAV3D - effectively automating the composite forming process - is designed to make composite production fast and cost-effective potentially reduing by up to 50% the cost of manufacturing carbon fiber composites and increase production rate by a factor of 10, WEAV3D is commercializing a composite forming technology - a machine that combines weaving and composite consolidation into an automated, continuous process, which reduces waste, cycle time, and material handling costs.
