Manufacturing Technology Insights: Specials Magazine

Lightweight materials are emerging as a critical driver of innovation across industries like space exploration, aeronautics and mobility in large sense. Pursuing lighter, stronger, and more efficient components is reshaping how organisations improve performance, reduce operational costs, and minimise energy consumption. Gradel, a Luxembourg-based engineering company that designs special purpose equipment for Space Industry, is leading this push toward smarter and more efficient lightweight components. For over 15 years, the company has provided solutions for handling, testing, and transporting satellites. However, recognising the rising demand for ultra-lightweight materials and their transformative potential across industries, Gradel charted a bold course of diversification five years ago. This strategic pivot gave rise to GRAM (Gradel Robotic Additive Manufacturing), a groundbreaking process poised to redefine composite manufacturing. This process sets new benchmarks in lightweight materials’ strength, sustainability, and precision across industries. “We saw an opportunity to add greater value to components and realised that lightweight solutions were no longer just a priority for space—they are essential across industries,” explains Claude Maack, CEO. GRAM: A Technological Leap in Lightweight Components Gradel’s GRAM technology is revolutionising composite manufacturing with its innovative, endless filament winding process. By mimicking bionic structures, GRAM aligns fibres along the natural flow of forces, adhering to the principle of “form follows force.” The GRAM process integrates inserts directly into the winding path, unlike traditional methods involving drilling holes and cutting fibres, compromising structural integrity. The result is a breakthrough in performance and weight reduction. Components manufactured using GRAM can handle five times the load of state-of-the-art solutions while achieving up to 70% weight savings compared to metal counterparts. Besides its versatility, GRAM supports many materials, including carbon, basalt, glass, and even renewable fibres like hemp or flax. These fibres can be paired with epoxy resins or customisable resin systems, including bio-based and recyclable options, allowing Gradel to tailor each solution to the specific needs of its applications. Its unique flexibility ensures optimal performance and sustainability through circularity by design, making GRAM a game-changer for industries striving to innovate responsibly. In industries like aviation, lightweight delivers not just operational savings but also significant environmental benefits. For example, reducing one kilogram of weight on an Airbus A320 can save 100 kilograms of fuel annually, translating to 350 kilograms less CO2 emissions. As airlines prepare for carbon taxes set to take effect by 2026, the ability to cut emissions and operating costs through innovative lightweight solutions becomes increasingly critical. “Using ultra-lightweight components isn’t just a technical benefit—it’s a business imperative,” Maack emphasises. “The operational savings, combined with environmental impact reductions, make GRAM a transformative process.”