Machina Labs is combining advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to rapidly manufacture composite and metal products.
The company first used its patented manufacturing platform on a robotic sheet-forming process that uses material and geometry-agnostic technology. According to Machina, the novel technique outperforms traditional sheet-forming methods that use custom molds or dies. For example, the platform creates finished metal products in days, a significant time-to-market improvement.
In January 2023, an investment from the venture arm of Lockheed Martin helped accelerate the development of Machina’s sheet metal "Roboforming.” Lockheed was intrigued by the company’s agile manufacturing platform because it could cut design time on national security and defense products.
Founded in 2019, Machina Labs is based in Los Angeles, California, and hopes to create "software-defined factories of the future.” The idea is to develop modular, reconfigurable manufacturing cells to manufacture new products by simply changing software, with no hardware or tooling changes.
In October 2023, Machina raised $32 million in Series B funding, bringing the company’s total raised to $45 million.The new investment will be used for R&D and to help fulfill rising customer interest.
The latest round of investors includes Nvidia’s venture arm. Machina hopes to lean on the AI hardware and software innovator’s expertise to push forward the development of new AI and simulation capabilities. Machina foresees a future in which factories are no longer tied to specific products but can now be configured via software to power on-demand manufacturing.
Sam Smith-Eppsteiner, a partner at early investor Innovation Endeavors, says Machina will play a vital role in domestic re-industrialization, defense innovation, electrification, and commercial space, each likely a key trend in the next 10 years.
Image Credit: Machina Labs
