“The development of an automated, low-cost composite additive manufacturing system could revolutionize the U.S. composite tool and composite end user parts industries,” says Lonnie Love, PhD, Group Leader of Automation, Robotics and Manufacturing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. “Impossible Objects’ CBAM technology has the potential to revolutionize this market.”

Kaplan says he sees potential for the Model One to be used for parts for drones, automotive components, electronics, goods, tooling, and medical devices.

“We’ve seen tremendous interest from a range of companies who want the advantages of 3-D printing for their high-volume manufacturing and for materials they cannot get elsewhere,” says Robert Swartz, chairman and founder of Impossible Objects. “Until now, there was no way to print functional parts with the mechanical and material properties at the scale these companies need. The Model One is just the beginning of what CBAM can do. Our CBAM technology has the potential to transform manufacturing as we know it.”

The Model One will become generally available to the public by early 2018.