Prodways and CEA-Liten: Serving Industry with 3D Printing and Materials R&D Partnership

France-based entities Prodways and CEA-Liten are forging an agreement for a two-year partnership that should serve industry leaders involved in 3D printing quite well. Both companies will be working to improve on materials and processes being used in 3D printing. In collaborating to further R&D in materials and production for 3D printing, the two companies are quite simply looking to innovate more and improve the process overall, as both Prodways and CEA-Liten already have their hands in the additive manufacturing industry.

Focusing on industrial companies, and including the dental and biomedical world, Prodways provides photosensitive resins, technical ceramics and metals, along with 3D printers that are all developed from their MOVINGLight technology, which is based on a combination of digital light processing and UVA LED high power. Their constant goal is to keep raising the competitiveness and quality of their products, and the partnership with CEA-Liten should be a certain boon in taking that even further.

While being environmentally friendly, improving the design and cleaning of polymer, ceramic and metal parts is a major part of their goal in this partnership. Those are all materials Prodways serves the market with, and in using them, CEA-Liten aims to come up with more economical, reliable and lightweight solutions. With an R&D platform including a complete line of industrial and semi-industrial equipment, CEA-Liten can carry out the entire process of producing these materials from metallic, ceramic and magnetic powders in a single building.

“The expertise of Prodways offers the best technology at the best time in the market. Giving it access to our expertise in materials and processes, Liten fulfills its role in accelerating innovation in the service industry, and helps position Prodways in a leading position in various market segments of the 3D printing industry that are growing,” said Florence Lambert, Director of CEA-Liten.

While Prodways, a subsidiary of Groupe Gorge, offers premium 3D printers and materials for a wide range of industrial and biomedical applications, CEA-Liten is two organizations, with CEA being the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Engergies Commission, well known for partnering with industrial companies, and sharing its resources in technology and research. They are the European leader in micro and nanotechnologies, and their aim is in developing innovation to serve technology and “to develop intelligent, miniaturized solutions in the fields of information, communication and health.”

Liten, the Laboratory for Innovation in New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials, is one of Europe’s leading research centers in the new energy technology field. Liten forms part of the CEA’s Technological Research Division.  They are involved in hundreds of research partnerships every year and work closely with French industry. Liten has a portfolio of over 840 international patents.

“By partnering with CEA-Liten, Prodways will rely on excellent technological research to develop materials whose mechanical properties are not yet possible with 3D printing. The partnership is at the heart of our expertise and will enable us to imagine new applications that are especially promising for industry,” explained Philippe Laude, Prodways CEO.

With an inventory of industrial and semi-industrial equipment, CEA-Liten now has a platform dedicated exclusively to 3D printing. Teaming up with Prodways should be a comprehensive way to maximize excellence, innovation, and efficiency.

What do you think of the impact 3D printing is currently having on industry and the medical sector? Please share your thoughts with us in the Prodways and CEA-Liten Partnership forum at 3DPB.com