top of page
HERON AM
INTRODUCING HERON AM
Caracol was born from the idea of pushing the limits of AM, beyond what was possible. That idea was brought to life by evolving the possibilities of Additive Manufacturing on scale, shape, and materials with HERON AM. HERON AM is Caracol's Large-Format Additive Manufacturing system: a robotized extrusion head, with direct and continuous feeding of composites and polymers, a dedicated software platform for the most complex tool paths, and many more features to fully integrate all that is needed to manufacture advanced industrial parts. The solution is one of the leading LFAM systems in the world, and the only one that is offered as a turnkey solution to maximize flexibility, process control, and performance for clients who want to manufacture parts on-demand and in-situ.
The system can produce components with a wide range of thermoplastics and composites (both from virgin and recycled origins) in the form of pellets and shreds. This makes the system ideal for the production of several medium to large-scale parts, such as: structural elements, tooling (e.g., jigs for positioning, drilling, and cutting, molds, assembly rigs, beams), prototypes, metal replacement, temporary or permanent substitution of parts, and an array of applications and components that continue to be discovered every day. The system was developed as an integrated hardware and software solution that can be customized for different applications and manufacturing requirements so every element can be adapted to different end-user’s needs. This is possible thanks to the modular approach adopted in the development stages of the system, and thanks to the “application-first” focus HERON AM was created by Caracol first of all as end-users, looking to manufacture parts that would not have been possible before. After several years of research, over 30000+ hours of printing, and hundreds of projects for clients in sectors like Aerospace, Automotive, Energy, Marine, Architecture and Design, HERON AM was perfected. Today the company's cutting-edge technology is helping clients achieve their productivity, efficiency, and sustainability goals
AN INTEGRATED TURNKEY SOLUTION WITH A SET OF CORE ELEMENTS
Heron AM can be flexibly integrated in clients’ shop floors with different customizable options. The Engineering team works hand-in-hand with clients’ teams to understand manufacturing needs and the types of applications that one intends to manufacture withtheir system to define the exact layout, additional features, and define the ideal configuration. Having developed the platform as a modular integrated hardware and software solution there are a set of key elements which complete the structure. Moreover, the portfolio of Heron AM platforms includes a range of alternative models (e.g., extruders, robotic arms, ...), and it is also possible to include optional features to achieve specific requirements
EXTRUDERS
HIGH ACCURACY (HA)
The High Accuracy extruder was developed with the aim of providing an extremely lightweight and compact solution. The small size ensures the system’s greater agility during the printing phase by limiting risks of collision with printed parts while maintaining a high . ow rate. These characteristics make the machine great for printing at high speed while ensuring the highest quality in material processing. The limited weight of the extruder makes it extremely flexible to different sized robots, from the smaller sizes in the Heron AM range to the largest - the HA extruder easily adapts to all needs.
NOZZLE RANGE FROM 1 TO 5MM
TEMPERATURE UP TO 350 DEG C
HIGH FLOW (HF) The High Flow extruder was built to provide a high throughput, temperature, and robust structure to process an extensive range of technical polymers and composites. It was designed with the aim of drastically reducing printing times to optimize the production of very large components. It can be installed on higher-payload robots, which also provide a greater build volume. The fusion chamber with various thermal control sections allows for highly refined process monitoring, ensures the extruder is suitable for printing the most critical materials while maintaining their properties and print quality.
NOZZLE RANGE FROM 2 TO 15mm
TEMPERATURE UP TO 450 DEG C
For more information and pricing for the Caracol Heron AM please contact us on 0433194371
bottom of page