Solideon and LEAP 71 enter into partnership for off-planet production of large components

Solideon, the US-based provider of collaborative robotic systems for metal 3D printing, and LEAP 71, a Dubai-based developer specializing in computer-aided and AI-based engineering technology, have announced a strategic partnership. The aim of this cooperation is to design and manufacture metal structures on a multi-meter scale for space applications. The collaboration aims to jointly develop technologies that enable the off-planet production of large-scale components.

This will be made possible by combining LEAP 71’s proprietary Computational Engineering Models (CEM) and Solideon’s large-scale collaborative robotic metal fabrication technology, Aperture.

Josefine Lissner, Founder and CEO of LEAP 71 said: “Access to space will expand significantly in the coming years. But how do we build the large components that will be needed to create extraterrestrial infrastructure? LEAP 71’s computational models can design sophisticated space hardware, however, limitations of the current manufacturing processes, including the small build volumes of most industrial 3D printers, are holding us back. Solideon will help us produce objects that are enormous by today’s standards.”

Solideon’s Aperture robotic system integrates multiple manufacturing steps, including 3D printing with wire arc, CNC milling and sub-assembly assembly. The computational models developed by LEAP 71 generate geometric data and process inputs for all separate steps, taking into account the capabilities and limitations of each production method.

Oluseun Taiwo, Founder and CEO of Solideon said: “A spacefaring society needs new production technologies that surpass conventional terrestrial approaches. The Aperture system combines many steps into one cohesive, autonomous, and collaborative whole. We can now manufacture large-scale objects on Earth and eventually will do so in zero gravity. By tightly integrating the engineering algorithms created by LEAP 71 with our software-driven production system, we can build objects that move space technology to a new level.”

The cooperation between Solideon and LEAP 71 marks a significant advance in the manufacturing of space components and promises to expand the possibilities of human presence in space.