#Industry News
GPAINNOVA and Cetim present a significant advance in metal surface treatments, setting a new standard for surface finishing excellence
The DryLyte Hybrid Finish process, resulting from their R&D collaboration, significantly accelerates finishing speed
GPAINNOVA, a leading global innovator in surface finishing solutions, and Cetim, the French technical center for mechanical industries, labelled Carnot Institute, are collaborating together on a pioneering research and development project aimed at substantially improving metal surface treatments: the patented DryLyte Hybrid Finish process©. This agreement focuses on the development of an advanced surface finishing system that integrates the electrochemical processes of the DryLyte Technology of GPAINNOVA with the use of abrasives, marking a significant leap in the finishing of highly rough surfaces such as those produced by machining and 3D printing.
This partnership combines GPAINNOVA’s DryLyte dry electropolishing technology with Cetim's expertise and its patented electrochemical-mechanical surface finishing system. This type of system has been developped by Cetim since 2016 in the framework of its common laboratory “Luppiam” with École Centrale de Lyon and Institut Mines Telecom engineering school. The resultant DryLyte Hybrid Finish process is designed to significantly accelerate finishing speed while effectively eliminating high roughness on metal surfaces. Preliminary results demonstrate that this novel process can achieve polishing speeds up to ten times faster than conventional techniques, presenting a viable option for enhancing the finishing of 3D printed parts, metal injection moulding, and machined components with high roughness.
BENEFITS OF THE INNOVATIVE DRYLYTE HYBRID FINISH PROCESS
The DryLyte Hybrid Finish process offers several benefits that improve surface finishing processes. Among them, it is worth it to highlight that its enhanced speed feature accelerates production by five times compared to other similar processes, slashing lead times and fostering efficient operations. Moreover, precision and finish are significantly enhanced, as the new method drastically reduces waviness and roughness, delivering finishes as fine as Ra 0.5 micrometers in just 40 minutes. Remarkably, this system achieves such precision while removing minimal material – less than 70 micrometers – thus promoting sustainability through reduced waste. Additionally, its high-resolution finishing capability strikes a perfect balance between material removal and geometric preservation, resulting in impeccable surface quality. Furthermore, the system's dual benefits extend beyond mere surface refinement; it also passivates the surface concurrently, bolstering longevity and resilience against external elements. With these advancements, the New DryLyte Hybrid Finish process sets a new standard for surface finishing excellence.
A PROMISING ALLIANCE WITH IMMENSE POTENTIAL
The collaboration between GPAINNOVA and Cetim represents a convergence of expertise and technology, setting a new standard in the metal finishing industry. By merging DLyte’s dry electropolishing with abrasive materials, the DryLyte Hybrid Finish process not only promises more rapid completion of surface treatments, but also ensures the achievement of superior quality and precision in finished products.
“We are excited to collaborate with Cetim on this groundbreaking project, which leverages the strengths of both organizations to push the boundaries of what's possible in metal surface finishing,” assessed Pau Sarsanedas, CEO and co-founder of GPAINNOVA. “The DryLyte Hybrid Finish process stands to revolutionize the industry, offering faster, more efficient, and higher-quality results for complex and highly textured surfaces”, he added.
“GPAINNOVA was the best partner to industrialize this process, which is expected by the French industrial community in surface finishing,” added Damien Guillon, scientific and technical manager of the Material-Process-Product operational direction of Cetim.”
The DLyte Hybrid Finish machine, which integrates the innovative DryLyte Hybrid Finish process, has already garnered significant recognition, being nominated as a finalist in the post-processing category of the prestigious TCT Awards 2024. This nomination underscores the innovative potential of the technology and its capacity to meet the evolving needs of industries reliant on advanced metal finishing processes.
A DLyte Hybrid Finish machine will integrate Cetim Laboratory before the end of the year to reinforce the existing finishing surface equipment of the Center. “We are pleased to integrate this efficient machine that will help the dissemination of this innovative hybrid finishing process”, concludes Guillon.
Both GPAINNOVA and Cetim are committed to advancing research and development in surface treatment technologies. This partnership not only underscores their leadership in innovation but also their dedication to providing solutions that meet the stringent requirements of industries demanding the highest standards of surface finish quality.
ABOUT GPAINNOVA
GPAINNOVA is a technology group established in 2013 in Barcelona, with subsidiaries in Sunrise (Florida, USA), Monterrey (Mexico), Hong Kong, and Shenzhen (China) and specializing in surface metal finishing machinery with its brands DLyte and MURUA; marine robotics with SEABOTS, high-performance power electronics with POWER INNOTECH, and medical devices with GPAMEDICAL. GPAINNOVA has a team of more than 180 professionals on staff and more than 40 engineers, more than 60 distributors, more than 1,000 worldwide clients, and more than 1,000 surface finishing machines installed. GPAINNOVA has been chosen by the Financial Times as one of the 1,000 fastest growing European companies for the fifth consecutive year.
ABOUT CETIM, THE FRENCH LEADING TECHNOLOGICAL ACCELERATOR FOR INDUSTRY
Cetim brings the best of research to manufacturers and offers a global solution of consulting and engineering services. Its multidisciplinary skills and its unique R&D capacity are supported by more than 1,100 experts, doctors, engineers and technicians, who transform every day manufacturing players all over the world, for the benefit of an ever more digital, efficient, positive and sustainable industry, capable of responding to the great economic and ecological challenges of our time. Cetim is labelled Carnot institute.
