Redefining Robotics & Aerospace with Industrial 3D Printing

Accelerating Innovation at CAST

Caltech's Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) is pushing the boundaries of robotics and aerospace research. With a legacy that includes foundational work on the Moon landing and ongoing collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Caltech CAST continues its tradition of engineering excellence — now powered in part by VisionMiner's industrial 3D printing platform.

The Challenge

CAST researchers needed to address three core production challenges:

• Rapid prototyping of complex, multi-component robotic systems at research pace
• High-performance materials capable of surviving extreme environmental conditions — thermal, mechanical, and operational
• Integration of custom, structurally complex parts that traditional manufacturing methods couldn't produce economically or quickly

The Solution

CAST deployed VisionMiner's industrial 3D printing ecosystem, centered on the 22 IDEX:

• 22 IDEX Industrial 3D Printer: Up to 70% of components in robots like the M4 Morphabot are now printed directly in-lab using the dual extrusion high-temperature system — eliminating outsourcing delays entirely.
• CF Nylon & CF PEEK Filaments: Carbon fiber-filled materials provide titanium-class strength-to-weight ratios and heat resistance appropriate for field and near-space deployment.
• Dual Extrusion (IDEX): Complex geometry parts with internal features, overhangs, and soluble support structures are printed in single runs — enabling designs that would require secondary machining on traditional single-head systems.

The Results

• Dramatically accelerated design cycles: From concept to physical prototype in hours rather than weeks
• Field-ready autonomous robots: The M4 Morphabot and STOR platforms are built largely from 22 IDEX-printed parts
• Space deployment readiness: Parts tested and validated for rough terrain and environmental extremes
• Radical design flexibility: Collapsible mechanisms, AI-enhanced movement systems, and custom geometries enabled by in-house high-temp FFF capability

"VisionMiner has enabled us to go from concept to mission-ready hardware faster than ever before. The 22 IDEX's dual extrusion capability and material range are essential to how we build at CAST."