Paris based aeronautical locking mechanism manufacturer JPB Système has announced that it has received funding as part of the French Government’s ‘France 2030’ investment programme.
Launched by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2021, the ‘France 2030’ initiative comprises an overall fund of €54 billion. This funding seeks to support innovation and accelerate the transformation of key French industries, with the end goal of consolidating France as a key player on the world stage.
JPB Système will invest the funds into the technological and human resources aspect of both its KeyProd production monitoring software and Metal Binder Jetting (MBJ) 3D printing activities. The company submitted, and was granted, separate funding requests for both their KeyProd offering and MBJ operations.
“We’re thrilled that our thirst to drive technological innovation that enables our customers to increase their competitiveness at both a national and global level has been recognised in this way,” commented JPB Système President Damien Marc.
New funding to enhance KeyProd
KeyProd combines artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to translate the vibrations of 3D printers into industrial performance indicators. This enables real time monitoring of the production status of a customer’s entire 3D printer suite.
JPB Système’s KeyProd proposal was examined by an independent expert committee, and ultimately approved by the General Secretariat for Investment (SGPI). According to the SGPI, this application was approved on the basis that it provides better operational control to industrial companies, and “is fully in line with the objectives of the France 2030 initiative – in particular its desire to increase France’s competitiveness.”
“Our KeyProd production monitoring solution is already delivering quantifiable for customers by enabling them to enjoy overall equipment effectiveness of up to 15%, thanks to the insight it offers insofar as the causes of machine downtime,” claims Marc. “This funding will allow us to consolidate the existing baseline, develop new applications, and in due course launch a new product line to better track machine performance and production follow-up.”
Bolstering MBJ 3D printing capabilities
The company’s application regarding the development of its pilot manufacturing line was also successful. JFB Système’s pilot manufacturing line employs MBJ 3D printing technology for the creation and pre-industrialization of aerospace parts for low-carbon aircraft.
Marc claims that this funding will provide a significant boost to the company’s ongoing MBJ 3D printing operations. This follows the recent announcement that JFB Système had further cemented their MBJ capabilities by acquiring a stake in Addimetal, a metal 3D printer manufacturer. According to the SGPI, the company’s innovation in this field perfectly aligns with the program’s aims, especially with regard to decarbonization.
Indeed, the SGPI reportedly awarded JFB Système this grant based on the “potential positive environmental impact across aerospace parts manufacturing and on the decarbonization of aircraft thanks to the reduction in both raw material consumption and the weight of the components produced.”
“Crucially, this investment injection will allow us to confirm the results we have achieved in trials and stabilize the MBJ process for production,” Marc explains.
“We believe that this technology will enable us to reduce production times for certain parts and speed up delivery times to customers, while the flexibility of MBJ also means that we can produce 100 completely different parts in the same time that it would take to produce 100 that are identical. We will also launch a study on manufacturing with stainless steel via the MBJ platform in 2024.”
Additive manufacturing and aerospace investment
Additive manufacturing is seeing growing investment within aerospace applications. Earlier this year L3Harris Technologies, a US aerospace and defense contractor, announced plans to acquire rocket propulsion system manufacturer Aerojet Rocketdyne, in a $4.7 billion all-cash transaction.
This deal sees two high-profile aerospace 3D printing innovators combine their expertise in the creation of 3D printed rocket engines and radio frequency (RF) parts. According to Aeroject Rocketdyne CEO Eileen P. Drake, this acquisition will facilitate “accelerated innovations,” when it comes to “national security propulsion solutions.”
Elsewhere, California-based space habitation technologies developer Vast recently completed the acquisition of US aerospace firm Launcher. Vast hopes that this deal will help to accelerate its mission to develop artificial gravity space stations. Vast plans to employ Launcher’s 3D printed rocket expertise and existing technology, such as their E-2 rocket engine, to achieve low earth orbit in the near future.
Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to ensure you keep up with the latest 3D printing news. You can also follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.
Are you interested in working in the additive manufacturing industry? Visit 3D Printing Jobs to view a selection of available roles and kickstart your career.
Featured image shows a JPB Système engineer assessing the quality of a 3D printed aerospace prototype. Photo via JPB Système.
