KraussMaffei Showcases Composite Expertise at JEC World 2026

KraussMaffei will be showcasing its comprehensive expertise in the field of composites at the leading trade fair JEC WORLD in Paris (March 10th-12th, 2026, Hall 6, Booth D51). A wide range of exhibits will be on display, including sandwich underbody protection, an LED-illuminated vehicle front panel, and 3D-printed high-temperature components and blanks made of PEEK, PESU, or PEI. The specially developed printCore high-performance extruder, the heart of the additive manufacturing systems, will also be on display at the booth.

For lightweight construction and surfaces, KraussMaffei combines reaction engineering, additive manufacturing, and injection moulding processes and is the only company in the industry to develop production lines in-house. This enables the creation of optimal project solutions for every application – from development to series production.

Individual technology solutions for every application

In the construction sector, where steel is increasingly being replaced by corrosion-resistant and therefore more durable materials, pultrusion (fibre-reinforced extrusion) comes into its own – for example, in concrete reinforcement, which will be on display at the booth. Pultruded profiles from systems manufactured by KraussMaffei subsidiary Pultrex also offer innovative solutions for renewable energies in the form of solar and wind power plants. These components are lightweight, durable and can withstand high loads.

The exhibit of a complex cladding component for commercial vehicles uses the long-fibre injection (LFI) process, which is suitable for large-area structural parts. For this purpose, cut glass fibres are coated with polyurethane (PUR) and pressed into the cavity to form the moulded part. This technology combines cost efficiency for small production quantities with a wide range of surface design options, such as deep-drawn films or imitation leather.

In an underbody protection system also on display at the trade fair stand, an LFI panel forms the core, which is then wrapped in glassfibre mats, coated with the matrix, and also pressed into shape. The result is an extremely lightweight and torsion-resistant large-format sandwich component. It complements the battery housing for electric vehicles (manufactured using the high-pressure RTM process) that was shown at last year’s JEC.

The KraussMaffei team uses additive manufacturing processes to develop such structures, as 3D printing allows large-format, thin-walled components to be produced efficiently. The prototypes and functional models created in this way enable early design and process validation. This allows geometries to be varied quickly, components to be pre-dimensioned, and development times to be significantly reduced.

Since electric cars do not need a large air intake on the radiator, the front of the vehicle can be completely redesigned – as in the case of the “Radiator Grill 2.0” with built-in radar and video technology. The surface is crucial here, as it must be extremely robust to withstand stone chips and daily wear and tear. The ColorForm process, in which the component is coated with a self-healing PUR layer after injection moulding, offers the best conditions for this. KraussMaffei supplies the production cell for this from a single source.

Additive manufacturing with high-performance plastics

The KraussMaffei Additive Manufacturing division develops large-format 3D printing solutions that can also process high-performance plastics such as PEI, PESU, and PPS.

The components manufactured with the powerPrint Flex and powerPrint Plus systems are suitable for technical applications in the aerospace, automotive, model and mould making, and energy technology industries, among others. The extruder and a selection of additively manufactured, large-format components will be presented at the trade fair booth, demonstrating the technological capabilities, material expertise and application range of the additive manufacturing solutions.

With powerPrint Plus and powerPrint Flex, KraussMaffei addresses the requirements of efficient, industrial additive manufacturing. At the heart of both systems is the proprietary printCore extruder, which enables processing temperatures of up to 400 °C and covers a very wide discharge range – from a few hundred grams per hour to 70 kg/h. This allows both filigree, thin-walled structures and large components to be manufactured in stable series and pre-series processes.

With its fixed, thermally insulated build chamber, powerPrint Plus offers the best conditions for general 3D printing. Precise extrusion control ensures reproducible component quality, high material efficiency, and reliable processing of technical and highly filled thermoplastics.

powerPrint Flex stands for maximum modularity. The system can be adapted to specific projects and, in addition to the additive process, can also integrate milling operations, additional axes, or rotary tables. This makes it particularly suitable for complex applications, hybrid manufacturing strategies, and individual component geometries where additive manufacturing and mechanical post-processing are combined in a single cell.

The additive processing of high-performance plastics requires a comprehensive understanding of material properties, such as thermal behaviour. KraussMaffei contributes this knowledge to all projects and, as a service partner, also supports its customers in material qualification.

System solutions from concept to series production

KraussMaffei offers complete system solutions for all technologies and applications, from component optimisation and system and process development to ongoing series production. At JEC, KraussMaffei experts will be on hand to advise visitors and find the optimal solution for individual requirements.

Read more news from KraussMaffei here.

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