Helicon brings automation to high-volume composites manufacturing
Helicon is using robots for carbon fiber parts production. Source: Helicon Advanced composites offer strength and stiffness at low weight, but manufacturing them at scale remains slow, labor-intensive, and difficult to automate. Helicon Industries is building automated manufacturing systems designed to bring composites into high-volume production, starting with carbon fiber. The Los Angeles-based startup has emerged from stealth with $16 million in seed funding, led by AlleyCorp. Helicon aims to
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A startup is building automated manufacturing systems to produce carbon fiber composite parts at high volume, a process that has traditionally been slow and labor-intensive. Advanced composites offer strength and stiffness at low weight, but scaling up production has been difficult to automate, especially when handling flexible materials like carbon-fiber textiles. The company aims to reduce manufacturing lead times from six months or more down to two weeks by designing processes and equipment specifically for automation and high-volume production. Beyond aerospace and defense applications, the technology could benefit robotics, logistics, and maritime industries where lightweight, high-performance structures are valuable.
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