Jan 30, 2017 | By Tess

French 3D printing startup Prismadd is breaking into the big leagues as it kicks off production at its Montauban industrial 3D printing plant, equipped with five, soon to be seven, industrial 3D printers. The company, which signed a six million euro contract with European aerospace giant Airbus, expects to ship its first 3D printed titanium structural parts, designed for Airbus’ A350 aircraft, by the end of March this year.

Prismadd was founded in 2014 through a collaboration between Montauban-based aeronautics manufacturer Farella, Grigny-based powder manufacturer Rhonatec, and Montigny-le-Bretonneux-based 3D printer company Creatix3D. In 2015, Prismadd joined “We are Aerospace,” an international industrial group founded by Chatal, Espace, Farella, and Armor Meca.

Led by its president Philippe Rivière, Prismadd has grown significantly over the past few years, and is now ready to begin its industrial-scale additive manufacturing. As 37-year-old Rivière commented, “We are transitioning from startup mode to industrial production.” We are Aerospace president Pascal Farella echoed the statement, saying, “Prismadd is becoming the spearhead of additive manufacturing.”

left-right: Philippe Rivière, president of Prismadd and Pascal Farella, president of We are Aerospace

Currently, Prismadd has a total of 5 production sites, including its facility in Montauban, which specializes in additively manufacturing aerospace parts made of titanium and inconel (a nickel-based metal alloy); a factory in Grenoble which produces stainless steel parts for the energy, transport, and luxury sectors; a plant in Saint-Etienne which produces aluminum parts; Prismadd Atlantic, which specializes in plastic tooling parts for the aeronautics industry; and, most recently, a factory in Nagoya, Japan where aluminum and titanium parts are 3D printed.

According to Prismadd, the company is also seeking to break into the North American aerospace and automotive industries, and is planning on opening three more of its facilities in Canada, Spain, and Asia. Currently, the company employs 38 people in its 3D printing factories and has a turnover of about three million euros a year. The quickly growing 3D printing company is confident that by the year 2021 it will achieve a turnover of 21 million euros.

In terms of equipment, Prismadd has a versatile range of 3D printing technologies. As its website points out, at its various locations it is operating a number of plastic-based 3D printers including FORTUS 900, Projet 5000, and Spro 230 3D printers; and various metal 3D printers, such as the ARCAM Q10, SLM 125, ProX 100, ProX 300, and ProX400.

As the company scales up its production, and with clients as established as Airbus, there is little doubt that Prismadd will continue to rise within the industrial 3D printing sector.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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