Designtech, Caracol, and LAMÁQUINA have partnered to open Milan’s first permanent hub dedicated to large-format robotic additive manufacturing (LFAM) for the design sector. According to the announcement, the space gives designers, studios, and brands ongoing access to large-scale robotic fabrication and engineering support, rather than a project-by-project service arrangement.
The venture, announced July 8, 2026, combines Designtech’s facilities and network, Caracol’s robotic manufacturing hardware and software, and LAMÁQUINA’s fabrication and design experience.
On Designtech’s role in the ecosystem, CEO Ivan Tallarico said the company doesn’t build products itself, but rather builds “the ecosystem that makes breakthrough products possible,” connecting technologies, manufacturing capabilities, creative talent, and industry partners so ambitious ideas can become real products, spaces, and businesses.
Caracol’s Role and Technology
Italian 3D printer manufacturer Caracol supplies the hub’s manufacturing hardware and process expertise. The company’s Heron AM platform is now installed at Designtech’s location, where it can produce large-format parts from thermoplastics as well as sustainable and recycled materials. Caracol also provides its Eidos Manufacturing software along with materials and process knowledge developed through prior production work, which the partners say allows the equipment to run at industrial output levels.
Paolo Cassis, COO and co-founder of Caracol, said Milan “sits at the intersection of design, creativity, and industrial progress,” making it the right place to bring together the players this ecosystem needs. He described the partnership as reflecting an integrated Made in Italy approach that values engineering know-how alongside new design concepts, with Caracol acting as “the technological enabler” that helps scale that heritage globally.
LAMÁQUINA’s Contribution
LAMÁQUINA, Barcelona-based 3D design and manufacturing studio, contributes its experience applying robotic 3D printing to design projects, working across computational design, robotic programming, and materials research. The company’s project history includes work for museums, restaurants, fashion retailers, exhibition centers, and cultural institutions. Its founder, Aldo Sollazzo, is an Italian entrepreneur who established the company abroad before this partnership brought his work to Milan.
Sollazzo said LAMÁQUINA works “to shape a new market for additive manufacturing in architecture,” questioning existing design conventions and identifying where large-scale 3D printing can play a decisive role in the built environment.
Caracol’s Return to Its Design Roots
Caracol’s role in the Milan hub reflects a strategy it has followed for years: it began in 2016 as a young design studio in Milan’s Navigli District before growing into an industrial LFAM manufacturer, most recently backed by a $40M Series B round for international expansion. LAMÁQUINA follows a parallel path, having applied robotic 3D printing to design projects such as ceramic display cases for London’s Natural History Museum and the Pure Plants sculptures shown at Milan Design Week 2023.
According to the announcement, what distinguishes the Milan hub from those earlier projects is permanence: designers, studios, and brands gain standing access to LFAM and engineering capabilities, rather than a one-off service.
The three companies frame their long-term goal as extending that model across Italy, including cultural institutions, and demonstrating a more flexible, efficient, and sustainable approach to production.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here.
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Featured image shows Milan’s hub for the robotic AM in design. Photo via Startupbusiness.
