About Carbon Design
Carbon Design Sp. z o.o. is a Polish engineering and manufacturing company from Kraków. We design and manufacture composite parts – from concept and FEM analysis to series production with quality control.
Carbon Design at a glance
The key facts about the company in one place – who we are, what we do and what we work with.
Who we are
Carbon Design Sp. z o.o. – a Polish engineering and manufacturing company based in Kraków (KRS 0000893625).
What we do
We design and manufacture composite parts: from concept, FEM analysis and moulds to series production with quality control.
Speciality
Forged carbon (C-SMC, C-BMC) moulded in a closed volume under vacuum – no flash and no voids – including a series method for hollow parts in which the fibres are not cut or shortened (patent pending).
Reverse autoclave
RAT (Reverse Autoclave Technology): curing in an infrared-heated vacuum oven with pressure from a bag or bladder – how it works.
Processes
RTM and light RTM (LRTM), expanding-core prepreg, vacuum infusion, prepreg compression moulding (PCM), WCM, SQRTM, OOA, resin casting. With partners: autoclave, pultrusion and filament winding.
Tools
Siemens Designcenter NX, NX Mold Wizard and Moldex3D with the Fiber module – design and simulation.
Equipment
2 hydraulic presses (160 t and 40 t), 3 RAT vacuum ovens, an OOA oven, a 5-axis CNC mill for carbon fibre, a plotter for cutting dry fabrics and prepregs with a marking module, resin 3D printing up to 250 °C (GK3 Pro, Cure Ultra, Phrozen Wash Mega S) and a paint shop; for quality control a 3D scanner, a microscope and a laboratory scale, and for vacuum leak testing thermal and ultrasonic cameras – equipment and laboratory.
Finishing
Painting of composite parts in our own paint shop – including visible carbon and forged carbon – painting.
Materials
Carbon, glass, aramid, basalt and natural fibres; epoxy, bio-based and vinyl ester resins.
Experience
Around 20 years of the team’s work at German composite technology centres in Dresden and in renewable energy projects. Award in the Composite Industry Innovation 2022 competition (Technology category).
Projects
The Hussar VTOL drone with BKODE, a bicycle with our own suspension kinematics and a blade generator in Siemens NX – ongoing projects.
How to start
Send a description or drawing of the part, the requirements and the planned quantity using the form. We work under NDA.
Where we come from
For almost 20 years the Carbon Design team worked at leading German composite technology centres in Dresden and in renewable energy projects. After a project carried out for an external customer we decided to work independently.
We run projects from concept to production: at our plant, at the customer’s plant or at proven partners under our supervision. Repeatability and quality matter most to us – which is why we combine several complementary processes.
“We always want to create at the highest possible quality.”
Equipment: production and laboratory
In our plant we mould, cure, machine, paint and inspect parts. That is why we take responsibility for a part from the mould to the finished component – without outsourcing the key steps.
Production and finishing
Hydraulic presses
2: 160 t and 40 t
forged carbon (C-SMC), PCM, WCM
RAT vacuum ovens
3
curing with RAT – reverse autoclave technology
OOA oven
1
out-of-autoclave prepreg curing
5-axis CNC milling machine
1
machining of carbon fibre parts
Plotter with a marking module
1
cutting dry fabrics and prepregs, marking the cut plies
GK3 Pro 3D printer
1
3D printing in resins rated up to 250 °C
Cure Ultra curing unit
1
post-curing of resin prints
Phrozen Wash Mega S
1
washing of resin prints
Paint shop
own
painting and finishing of composite parts
Quality control
3D scanner
dimensional inspection and comparison with the CAD model
Thermal imaging camera
detecting leaks in vacuum bags, moulds and the vacuum system
Ultrasonic camera
locating leaks (air ingress) in the vacuum system
Microscope
cross-sections – porosity and laminate structure
Laboratory scale
checking the mass of parts and charges
Equipment photos: manufacturers’ materials (Harsle, ECP Industrial, Hamuel Reichenbacher, UniFormation, Phrozen, Saima, Bullmer, Revopoint, Hikmicro, Fotric, Techrebal, Radwag).
What we have developed
- As the first in the world – a series method for making hollow, high-strength forged carbon parts in which the fibres are not cut or shortened (patent application filed; waste approx. 0.5% of the part mass).
- A series process for carbon fibre bicycle frames that is cheaper and faster than the conventional one.
- A method for making carbon profiles with a variable outer shape and a variable cross-section.
- The RAT (Reverse Autoclave Technology) curing process – in an infrared-heated vacuum oven, with pressure from a bag or bladder.
Recognition and projects
Award · 2022
Composite Industry Innovation
Technology category – the jury of the Polish Composites Technology Cluster recognised our method for making hollow forged carbon parts.
EU project
UL-CompPro (AMULET, 1st call)
With East 4D Carbon Technology GmbH we are developing ultralight helicopter skids from filament-wound profiles and forged carbon connectors.
FENG 1.1 SMART Path
Hollow parts for the bicycle industry
We are developing an innovative process for complex hollow composite parts. EU funding: PLN 1,627,314.00.
European Funds
Vanguard H2 IVC
We are preparing a Eurogrant application in the Vanguard H2 IVC hydrogen project. EU funding: PLN 41,000.00.
Award in the “Composite Industry Innovation 2022” competition (Innowacja Branży Kompozytowej), Technology category, granted by the jury of the Polish Composites Technology Cluster.
We work with
Company details
Carbon Design Sp. z o.o.
NIP 5130271071 · KRS 0000893625 · REGON 388627280
ul. Walerego Eliasza Radzikowskiego 17/1
31-315 Kraków
+48 604 583 775
+48 538 386 699
office@carbon-design.eu
Have a drawing or just an idea? We will tell you how to make it.
Tell us what the part has to do, how many you need and what the requirements are. We will reply with a proposed process, material and next steps – with no obligation, under NDA if needed.