FAKUMA 2026

HIGH QUALITY SURFACES

Today, high-quality surfaces are much more than mere design features. There is a demand for solutions that combine sophisticated aesthetics and tactile qualities with integrated functionality, lightweight construction, and efficient manufacturing processes. Functions such as lighting, heating, or assembly-supporting elements should be integrated directly into the component wherever possible and manufactured efficiently within seamless process chains.

Depending on the vacuum compatibility of the decorative material used, different lamination processes are employed. Materials such as leather, synthetic leather, or textiles can be processed with precise cut-to-size accuracy – and thus in a particularly resource-efficient manner – using the press lamination process. However, vacuum-compatible processing via thermoforming and lamination also offers significant advantages for a wide range of applications in terms of cycle time, degree of automation, and productivity.

Efficiency in thermoforming, press laminating and edge folding: FRIMO Innovative Technologies will show how production of seat back panels with integrated ambient lighting can be realized in one interlinked system. The first step involves the vacuum lamination of a TPO decorative film with subsequent punching of the foil overhang. The vacuum laminating system has a horizontal rotary table for holding two lower tools, combined with a rotary upper table with four corresponding upper tools. This powerful equipment combines the most modern technology available on the market in the smallest possible space.

AWARDED COMPOSITES SOLUTIONS

As a partner within the SAUBER 4.0 project FRIMO Innovative Technologies has won the JEC 2026 Innovation Award in the category Aerospace Process.

The award-winning development is an RTM tool for aircraft structural components, engineered by FRIMO, featuring inductive heating and manufactured from INVAR, a steel–nickel alloy known for its extremely low thermal expansion – perfectly suited for high‑precision aerospace applications.

Key Advantages:

• RTM technology designed for large, complex integral components
• Significant energy savings compared to today’s aircraft manufacturing processes
• Fully digitalized end-to-end CFRP production
• Successful validation of the multiphysics simulation
• Enabler for the next generation of Airbus single-aisle aircraft

SAUBER4.0 is a fully integrated manufacturing approach for large, complex structural components that balances both ecological and economic requirements. The core element is the use of RTM technology, combined with advanced digitalization capabilities, innovative preforming methods, and modern tooling technologies.

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FUNCTION OR DESIGN WITH PU

Polyurethane plays a special role in this context. Hardly any other material offers a comparably broad range of applications. FRIMO technology is used for sealing and acoustic applications as well as for high-quality surfaces and in composite and sandwich structures. Polyurethane thus combines design, function, and lightweight construction, ideally complementing FRIMO’s composite portfolio.

An application example from Ascorium illustrates the potential of CompoLite® technology for design-oriented lightweight construction solutions. The backrest covering of a boat seat combines a high-quality visible surface with a lightweight and dimensionally stable composite sandwich structure featuring a PU foam core, exemplifying the combination of design freedom, functionality, and resource efficiency. This opens up new possibilities for applications in automotive interiors, the caravanning industry, and the marine sector.

Customized solutions are standard. FRIMO delivers equipment for processing materials such as flexible, semi-rigid, rigid and integral foams, as well as for casting systems, filled PU systems and spray applications. The portfolio ranges from tooling technology, mold carriers, stationary and mobile systems for polyurethane processing, to all aspects of wet technology including peripherals. Polyurethane also plays a significant role in battery development and production as well as for a variety of challenging gluing tasks.

FLEXTRIM - ADVANCED SOLUTIONS

Modern lightweight, composite and plastic components require trimming solutions that combine precision, flexibility and efficiency. With its FlexTrim portfolio, FRIMO offers a comprehensive range of advanced trimming and finishing technologies tailored to specific materials, geometries and production requirements:

• Ultrasonic Cutting for plastics, composites, textiles, leather and honeycomb structures
• Deburring & Edge Finishing for consistent part quality
• Scoring Technologies for invisible airbags and functional weakening lines
• 3D Robotic Milling for complex contours and demanding geometries
• Integrated Robotic Cells combining trimming, handling and automation in one solution

The right process and adapted automation level for each application: Rather than relying on a single technology, FRIMO identifies the most effective process for your project, ensuring optimum quality, productivity and cost efficiency. Customers benefit from superior cut quality and precision, high flexibility for changing products and materials, reduced manual rework, scalable automation concepts. FlexTrim by FRIMO: One partner. Multiple technologies.