$10M Contract Goes to SWISSto12 to 3D Print RF Equipment for Maritime Use

August 9, 2024 by Joris Peels 3D Printing Electronics Europe Maritime 3D Printing Military 3D Printing

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3D printing-focused antenna manufacturer SWISSto12 has received a $10 million contract for RF equipment to be used at sea for an unnamed OEM. The company exemplifies an application-focused firm that leverages the advantages of 3D printing to produce superior equipment more efficiently than competitors. Previously, SWISSto12 partnered with CAES, manufactured parts for Lockheed, collaborated with ESA, secured $27 million in credit, and produced antennas for Northrop. The company is rapidly advancing and is quickly becoming the leader in 3D-printed RF equipment, outpacing competitors such as the US-based Optisys.

SWISSto12’s antennas are often lighter or have better performance than conventionally made ones. The company also claims to have “the world’s largest IP portfolio in the use of 3D printing for RF product applications.” In this deal, SWISSto12 believes the advantage also lies in optimizing coverage through continuous improvement processes.

“Legacy antennas were restricted by traditional manufacturing and assembly constraints. SWISSto12’s proprietary 3D printing technologies allow for the additive manufacture of highly complex, lightweight antenna designs that optimize performance and throughput while enhancing coverage flexibility. This introduces a new category of antenna performance which has broad benefits for safety applications in maritime, airborne and ground environments,” said Chief Product Officer Frank Schreckenbach.

The company has 150 staff and makes RF equipment for satellites, sea applications, and potentially future terrestrial ones. It is also working on its own satellite, the HummingSat, which could potentially cost a tenth of conventional satellites. Generally, the company can reduce part count and optimize parts compared to competitors. With less manual labor, fewer human errors, and a lower part count, it can build faster and more efficiently as well.

Higher efficiency and improvements like better size, weight, and power (SWAP) are crucial in this industry. Through component integration, mass can be saved, resulting in a more integrated and optimized assembly. The satellite market is growing rapidly, and lead times are a significant issue. Here, 3D printing can have a drastic impact by enabling faster production and iteration of parts. Given lead time constraints, more satellite assemblers are looking for reliable component solutions from other suppliers. There are specific performance advantages as well, with designs optimized for particular needs. I cannot think of a better AM application than RF components, apart from perhaps orthopedic implants and space propulsion.

A lot of what goes on in this world is defense or defense-adjacent. SWISSto12’s antennas are used for signals intelligence, secure communications, and more. As many traditional bands are filled with traffic, millimeter wave technology becomes interesting for the defense community, and this is also an area SWISSto12 may explore. Electronic warfare is probably the hottest area of warfighting at the moment. In Ukraine and elsewhere, planners are finding that entire classes of weapons systems are rendered useless due to electronic warfare constraints. SWISSto12 could assist in this area, as well as with other targeting options.

At the same time, many firms have huge ambitions for arrays of satellites for different purposes, and these firms are often more secretive than defense firms. Therefore, SWISSto12 is often quite guarded in its communications.

In this case, we don’t know who the client is. It may be a commercial VSAT provider such as Echosat. It’s likelier to be Inmarsat, which would be a logical customer. Inmarsat is large and manages the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. Inmarsat’s acquisition by Viasat was also just approved, making this a logical time to move forward with new investments. Inmarsat is also already a SWISSto12 partner.

SWISSto12 is one of my favorite startups. They are entering a very exciting, high-value market with superior products through 3D printing. I foresee significant growth in satellites and RF communications with 3D printing, and SWISSto12 is perfectly positioned at the center of it all.