Swedish technology company STILFOLD has been granted a pan-European patent for a groundbreaking hardware architecture that enables programmable, fixture-free sheet metal folding along curved, non-linear paths. The system disrupts traditional bending—offering a low-energy, high-precision alternative for next-gen structural manufacturing across automotive, aerospace, architecture, and beyond.
Credit: STILFOLD AB
STILFOLD Skateboard
Swedish deep-tech company STILFOLD, acclaimed for its origami-inspired engineering, has been granted a pivotal European patent protecting a disruptive hardware configuration for advanced sheet metal forming. The patented mechanism enables controlled plastic deformation along curved, non-linear paths.
This marks a paradigm shift from traditional straight bending, unlocking the ability to create complex, high-performance 3D geometries from flat material in a single, tool-less, fixture-free sequence. By reducing part count, eliminating welding and tooling, and optimizing stress distribution, STILFOLD’s system offers a low-energy, high-precision alternative for structural applications.
“This patent secures the core mechanical innovation behind our process,” says Jonas Nyvang, CEO and co-founder. “It’s a foundational enabler of programmable, robot-compatible metal forming with drastically lower environmental and economic footprint. The capacity to fold metal along non-straight paths unlocks entirely new design and manufacturing strategies.”
STILFOLD’s technology suite, now expanded by this patent, positions the company at the forefront of digital manufacturing in automotive, architecture, aerospace and industrial design—where strength-to-weight optimization, circularity, and on-demand flexibility are becoming industry imperatives.