Develops and manufactures automated fiber placement systems (Fiber Patch Placement) for complex fiber composite components with associated CAE software.
Cevotec GmbH
MunichNew on Amplifa
About Cevotec
Cevotec is an automation specialist based in Munich for the production of complex fiber composite components. The company develops and manufactures machines of the SAMBA series based on Fiber Patch Placement (FPP) technology, which deposits carbon and glass fibers (dry or as prepreg), adhesive films and other technical fibers fully automatically onto demanding 3D geometries. In addition to the production systems, the portfolio includes the CAE software ARTIST STUDIO for patch laminate generation and automatic robot programming, the configurable gripper technology cevoGripper, and engineering services (cevoLab) with FE-based modeling, simulation, laminate design, prototyping and small-series production. A 100% in-process vision system inspects every patch before and after placement. Target industries are aerospace, composite pressure tanks for hydrogen, medical technology and other lightweight construction; customers and partners include Leonardo, SAFRAN Nacelles, GKN Aerospace, SGL Carbon and TU Munich. Cevotec has been certified to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 since 2020.
- Site
- Munich
- Processes
- Fiber Patch Placement (FPP) - automated fiber placement of composite patches, Multimaterial lay-up of sandwich components (carbon, glass fiber and adhesive film plies on, Automated production of carbon fiber preforms from spread tow tapes, Lay-up of sandwich structures with monolithic areas (integrated process, patch stacks), Reinforcement of composite pressure tanks / dome reinforcements for pressure vessels (hydrogen, Prototyping and small-series production of fiber composite components (cevoLab engineering services), FE-based modeling, simulation and laminate design (CAD-CAM/CAE services), 100% in-process raw material inspection and quality control (vision system, optical patch
- Materials
- Carbon fibers / carbon fiber prepreg, Glass fibers / glass fiber prepreg, Adhesive films / adhesive prepreg, Aluminum honeycomb core, Spread Tow Tape (spread carbon fibers, cevoTape), Thermoset prepreg tape, Carbon fibers (dry and prepreg), Glass fibers (dry and prepreg)
- Certificates
- DIN EN ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001:2015, 100% in-process raw material and patch inspection, Optical laminate control / in-line inspection (in development, ACoSaLUS)
- Industries
- Aerospace, Composite pressure tanks (hydrogen), Medical technology, Lightweight construction, Composite pressure tanks (hydrogen), Other lightweight construction industries
- 01
FE modeling & laminate design (ARTIST STUDIO)
- 02
Patch cutting pattern planning & robot programming
- 03
Cutting of fiber tapes (ultrasonic cutting)
- 04
Automated fiber placement (FPP lay-up)
- 05
In-process inspection (vision system)
- 06
Prototyping & small-series production (cevoLab)
- 07
Commissioning, remote support & service
Materials & Processes
Carbon fibers (dry and prepreg)
Main material for high-strength aerospace and tank reinforcement structures, also processed as spread tow tape (cevoTape).
Glass fibers (dry and prepreg)
Electrically non-conductive plies for sensor areas in UAV/UAM structures and sandwich constructions.
Adhesive films / adhesive prepreg
Improve adhesion and compatibility between fiber plies and honeycomb cores in multimaterial lay-up.
Spread Tow Tape (cevoTape)
Unidirectionally spread carbon fibers for preforms with high mechanical properties.
Aluminum honeycomb core
Sandwich core material onto which carbon, glass and adhesive film plies are automatically placed in the FPP process.
Thermoset prepreg tape / AFP-ATL tape
Standard tapes, including residual material from AFP/ATL processes, can be processed in SAMBA systems.
Fiber Patch Placement (FPP)
Automated placement of individual fiber patches along load paths onto complex 3D geometries.
FE simulation & laminate design (ARTIST STUDIO)
Generation of patch laminates and automatic robot programming including HyperMesh plug-in.
Locations
Munich
DEHeadquarters, development and construction of SAMBA systems, cevoLab engineering services
- Lot size
- One-off/prototype up to several thousand units/year
- Materials
- Carbon/prepreg, glass fiber, adhesive films, honeycomb core, spread tow tape
- SAMBA Series FPP lay-up cells
- SAMBA Multi multimaterial lay-up cell with linear axis
- cevoGripper changeover station (45×90 to 60×240 mm)
- SAMBA Pro PV system for pressure tank dome reinforcements (commissioning planned 2023)
- ARTIST STUDIO CAE software
Typical Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber Patch Placement (FPP) - automated fiber placement of composite patchesAdditive | – | – | – | One-off/prototype – several thousand units per year | Carbon fibers (dry and prepreg), Glass fibers (dry and prepreg), Adhesive films / adhesive prepreg, Spread Tow Tape (carbon), Honeycomb sandwich cores (aluminum honeycomb) |
| Multimaterial lay-up of sandwich components (carbon, glass fiber and adhesive film plies onJoining | – | – | – | a few hundred units/year – several thousand units/year | Carbon fiber prepreg, Glass fiber prepreg, Adhesive prepreg, Aluminum honeycomb core |
| Automated production of carbon fiber preforms from spread tow tapesAdditive | – | – | – | – | Spread Tow Tape (spread carbon fibers) |
| Lay-up of sandwich structures with monolithic areas (integrated process, patch stacks)Joining | – | – | – | – | Glass fiber, Carbon fiber, Adhesive film, Non-metallic cores (honeycomb sandwich) |
| Reinforcement of composite pressure tanks / dome reinforcements for pressure vessels (hydrogenAdditive | – | – | – | – | Carbon fiber, Glass fiber |
| Prototyping and small-series production of fiber composite components (cevoLab engineering services)Engineering | – | – | – | Small series | Carbon fibers, Glass fibers, Adhesive films, Other technical fibers |
| FE-based modeling, simulation and laminate design (CAD-CAM/CAE services)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| 100% in-process raw material inspection and quality control (vision system, optical patchTesting | – | – | – | – | Fiber tapes (carbon, glass), Prepreg |
| Ultrasonic cutting of fiber tapes (areal weight up to 300 gsm) into patchesMachining | – | – | – | – | Carbon prepreg, Glass fiber prepreg, Dry fiber tapes, Adhesive films |
| Processing of AFP/ATL standard tape (residual material from AFP/ATL processes) in SAMBA systemsAdditive | – | – | – | – | Thermoset prepreg tape, AFP/ATL tape |
9 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FPP production system (Fiber Patch Placement lay-up cell) | Cevotec SAMBA Series (SAMBA Pro, SAMBA Multi) | – | – | – | Munich (development/manufacturer) |
| SAMBA Multi multimaterial lay-up cell with parallel feed units on a linear axis | Cevotec SAMBA Multi | – | linear axis for particularly long and wide components; patch sizes DIN A5 and DIN A4 | – | Munich |
| SAMBA Pro prepreg FPP system with two cooperating 6-axis robots | Cevotec SAMBA Pro Prepreg | 1 | Patch grippers 45 mm x 90 mm to 60 mm x 240 mm; over 90° edges and biaxially curved surfaces | 2022 | Leonardo, Italy (customer system) |
| SAMBA Pro PV system for dome reinforcements of composite pressure tanks | Cevotec SAMBA Pro PV | – | – | – | Munich (commissioning planned 2023) |
| 6-axis pick & place robot (patch placement) | Cevotec (SAMBA system) | – | – | – | Leonardo, Italy |
| Ultrasonic cutting unit (cutting head) | GFM (Austria) | 1 | Cutting of fiber tapes up to 300 gsm areal weight | – | Leonardo, Italy (SAMBA Pro system) |
| Automated gripper changeover station (patch grippers of different sizes) | Cevotec cevoGripper | – | Gripper sizes from 45x90 mm to 60x240 mm | – | Munich |
| CAE/CAD-CAM software for patch laminate generation and robot programming | Cevotec ARTIST STUDIO (with HyperMesh plug-in) | – | – | – | Munich |
| Honeycomb gripper with force feedback function (development, ACoSaLUS project) | Cevotec | – | – | 2022 | Munich |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Certification
SAMBA systems offer continuous process monitoring with integrated sensors and a vision system that inspects every patch before and after placement for quality, dimensional accuracy and position — ensuring that only 100% specification-compliant material is processed. Cevotec is certified to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015.
| Evidence | Munich |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | |
| 100% in-process raw material and patch inspection | |
| Optical laminate control / in-line inspection (in development, ACoSaLUS) |
Company History
- 2016
Presentation of the first industrial FPP system at JEC World Paris (announced 2016)
- 2017
Positive response at CAMX 2017, nomination for the innovation award
- 2018
Partnership with Composite Automation LLC for North America (USA, Canada, Mexico); SAMBA systems have also processed thermoset prepreg tape since 2018
- 2019
Presentation of SAMBA Multi for multi-material lay-up at JEC World 2019; project with SAFRAN Nacelles
- 2020
Certification to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 (December 2020)
- 2021
Start of the funded ACoSaLUS project with GKN Aerospace, TUM, SGL Carbon, University of Applied Sciences Augsburg and Vabatec
- 2022
Commissioning of the SAMBA Pro prepreg system at Leonardo in Italy (March 2022); Tomás Giesecke becomes Team Lead Production Technology
- 2023
ACoSaLUS project running until June 2023; introduction of the SAMBA Pro PV system for pressure tank dome reinforcements planned