The decade-long ACCUM project carried out by SNCF, Stratiforme Industries, the Valenciennes Railway Testing Center and IMT Lille Douai has led to the development of a new catenary cantilever system for railways. This advance represents a major change in this field, where equipment has seen little change over the past 50 years.   When asked to draw a train on …

There has been a significant revolution in the world of materials as 3D printing has proved its potential for innovation. Now it must be put into practice. While 3D printers are increasingly present in prototyping workshops, they have been slow to replace the processes traditionally used in the plastics industry. This is because these technologies are too restrictive, in terms …

At the beginning of 2018, IMT Lille Douai unveiled an additive manufacturing platform dedicated to manufacturing large-scale parts: LASCALA. This equipment is a worldwide innovation.  Its capacity to use any type of polymer even enables it to print 3D composite parts measuring several meters. The scientific challenge has been successfully met and has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for …

Although additive manufacturing is already fully integrated into industrial processes, it is continuing to develop thanks to new advances in technology. The Additive Manufacturing Tech’Day, co-organized by IMT Mines Alès and Materiautech – Allizé-Plasturgie, brought together manufacturers and industry stakeholders for a look at new developments in equipment and material. José-Marie Lopez Cuesta, Director of the Materials Center at IMT …

In the world of materials, composites are currently undergoing a transformation that is just a significant as the plastics boom in the 1960s. To massively integrate these materials into high-volume production markets—automotive, aeronautics, rail, etc.—manufacturers must further reduce the time it takes to mold the parts. This complex goal is attainable by redesigning the materials’ composition and architecture, adapting the …

Cellulose is one of the most abundant molecules in nature. At the nanoscale, its properties allow it to be used for promising applications in several fields. Julien Bras, a chemist at Grenoble INP, is working to further develop the use of this biomaterial. On November 21st he received the IMT-Académie des Sciences Young Scientist Prize at the official awards ceremony held in …

As required by environmental transition, materials of the future must be “greener”. Bioplastics in particular have become a main focus of attention, and are often presented as the solution to the pollution caused by the plastics we use every day, which can take hundreds of years to decompose. Patricia Krawczak, a researcher at Mines Douai, studies these new polymers. Yet …

Composite materials are increasingly being used in industry, especially in the transport sectors (automotive and aeronautics). These lightweight and multifunctional materials have great potential for limiting environmental footprint, and will play a major role in the materials of future. At Mines Douai, Chung-Hae Park is contributing to the development of high-performance and economically viable composites. A distinguishing feature of these …

Composite materials continue to entice researchers and are increasingly being used in transport structures and buildings. Their qualities are stunning, and they are considered to be indispensable in addressing the environmental challenges at hand: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating stronger and more durable building structures, etc. How are these materials designed? What makes them so promising? Sylvain Drapier, a researcher …

The materials of the future need to be more than just high-performance. They must also be environmentally friendly: more recyclable and based on renewable resources. This is why scientists and industrialists are taking a closer look at composite materials developed from plant fibers. They represent a major research focus for Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT) schools — especially at Mines Alès and …