Impossible Objects, a Northbrook-based 3D printing and materials company, raised $4.1 million from Chicago’s OCA Ventures.
The funding round, announced today, will help the startup grow its business and forge new partnerships. Since launching in 2011, Impossible Objects has raised more than $13 million in total funding.
In 2017, the startup raised a $6.4 million Series A round that also included OCA Ventures, as well as the IDEA Fund Partners, Mason Avenue Investments, Huizenga Capital Management and Inflection Equity Partners.
Impossible Objects has created a proprietary composite-based additive manufacturing technology that can produce parts up to 10 times faster than conventional 3D printing. Through combining high-performance polymers, like nylon, with long-fiber carbon and fiberglass sheets, the startup says it can make parts that are stronger, lighter and more durable than what is possible with conventional 3D printing methods.
Impossible Objects’ products are used by several Fortune 500 companies, including Ford Motor Company and Jabil. Additionally, the U.S. Air Force and the National Institute for Aviation Research also use the startup’s tech, according to Impossible Objects.
In addition to announcing its latest funding round, Impossible Objects also revealed two new features for its 3D printing products designed for factory floors at an additive manufacturing event in Detroit on Tuesday. The new system can deliver complex parts on an industrial scale, allowing factories to make their manufacturing processes 10 times faster.
Impossible Objects also announced that it has established a partnership with Germany-based chemical company BASF, in which BASF’s polyamide powder will be used to print a specific kind of carbon fiber composite on Impossible Objects’ devices for the first time.
“It’s been exciting to see how our customers are putting our approach to work to create high-performance parts for everything from aircraft and cars to lightweight athletic gear,” said Impossible Objects Founder and Chairman Bob Swartz in a statement. “We’re continuing to bring machines, materials and expertise to the market to transform the entire manufacturing process, from prototyping through to high-volume production.”
