ARMOR supports Airbus in the innovation of its additive manufacturing processes

The challenges Airbus has set Kimya

• To have their 3D printing materials qualified and standardize the additive manufacturing process within AIRBUS in order to be able to produce prototypes quickly while guaranteeing a level of quality that meets the group’s standards.

 

• To offer specific conditioning for optimum 3D printer utilization at Protospace.

Kimya’s response to Airbus

 Kimya’s teams were required to optimize the printing profiles (temperature of the printing head, plate and tempered chamber) of every material selected by Airbus. Yannick Castel, Senior Business Developer Manager at Kimya, explains the importance of this direct collaboration with Airbus:

 

“Instead of providing the printing profiles of our materials to the 3D printer manufacturers as we usually do, the specific feature of this request was that it came from the end customer directly, requiring us to enhance our printing parameters in line with specific needs. As the pilot site for all other Airbus sites, the 3D printing team at Protospace in Saint Nazaire offers support to other departments of the group for their 3D printing projects. They need to acquire our expertise and gain maximum proficiency in the properties of our products and related parameters. This way they are able to accurately guide the group’s other departments towards the most suitable Kimya materials for their particular 3D project. The collaboration was initiated by our reseller, 3DNewPrint, which had already listed our Kimya 3D filaments at all AIRBUS sites in France. The experience once again demonstrates the merits of building a sustainable relationship based on trust and proximity with our partners and customers, enabling us to offer bespoke solutions perfectly meeting their requirements. “

 

Focus on the Kimya Lab expertise mobilized for the project

The expertise of the Kimya Lab personnel was a crucial element in our ability to establish specifications with Airbus personnel that fully cover all their requirements. Our team in charge of the characterization of our 3D filaments subsequently confirmed the ability of the Kimya materials to meet the requirements of Airbus in terms of tolerances, esthetics and resistance.

 

Our customers say it better than us…

Marc Carré is responsible for innovation at Protospace in Saint-Nazaire, a place accessible by all employees for developing their creativity and innovative spirit at the design facilities and prototyping laboratory. Marc has been designing prototypes using additive manufacturing for 4 years now and decided to test the Kimya 3D materials:

 

“The Kimya filaments have enabled me to go a few steps further in terms of rapid prototyping and rationalization of the 3D printing stages. We need to standardize the additive manufacturing process, so we first had to qualify the materials. Through our work with Kimya, we have already qualified the PLA-HI, PETG-S and PETG Carbon. Soon to be followed by the PEI and PEEK. Thanks to the Kimya Lab personnel located close to Protospace, we are able to share our issues and jointly seek solutions. It is very important for us to be able to rely on a competent and responsive supplier.. »