SINGAPORE,
Feb. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -
Zecotek Photonics Inc. (TSX-V: ZMS; Frankfurt: W1I; OTCPK: ZMSPF), a developer
of leading-edge photonics technologies for industrial, healthcare
and scientific markets, today announced that its wholly owned
subsidiary Zecotek Display Systems Pte. Ltd. and its strategic
partners the Institute of Chemical Physics and LT-Pyrkal have
successfully developed a unique manufacturing technology for metal
powders to be used with 3D printers. The new manufacturing approach
uses metal hydrides synthesis and has significant advantages over
traditional techniques: high productivity, superior quality
of synthesized hydride, significantly lower energy
consumption, ecological purity and safety of the process among
other key functional parameters.
"Our new and unique manufacturing technology for metal powders
is a significant achievment in the advancement of 3D printing,"
said Dr. A.F. Zerrouk, Chairman,
President, and CEO of Zecotek Photonics Inc. "The quest for
cheap and available powders of refractory metals has been long and
hard and the 3D industry will value our solution. Laser
sintering based 3D printing is undoubtedly the technology of the
future. We expect the advantages of our breakthrough
technology to greatly contribute to the rapid development of
additive technologies for 3D rapid manufacturing. The
development of a new generation of hydrogen-containing materials,
including those based on refractory metals, nano-modified alloys
and certain inter-metallides groups, is key for additive 3D
printing technologies. Zecotek and its strategic partners are
leading the way in this very vast and rapidly changing
market. "
Laser sintering based 3D printing is an additive manufacturing
technique that uses a laser as the energy source to sinter metal
powder, binding the material together to create a solid
structure. Traditional metal powder manufacturing requires
laborious operations to prepare hydrides, such as initial
activation of metal and the deep cleaning of hydrogen, plus use of
expensive fine metal powder under hydrogenation. The metal
powder developed by Zecotek and partners will be compatible with
Zecotek`s 3D printer and other laser sintering based 3D
printers.
Zecotek has been working with the Institute of Chemical Physics
of the National Academy of Sciences to extend the list of
high-performance powder metal alloys for use in its compact,
high-speed 3D printer. The Institute along with Zecotek and
LT-Pyrkal are collaborating to fine tune the advanced technology
necessary for the fabrication of metal powders from metal hydride
compounds. The long term objective of the group is to
maintain a leadership position in 3D metal printing as well as the
production of high-performance powder materials for the 3D additive
manufacture of metal and alloys based components for very wide
applications and industries at large. Zecotek is in negotiations
with market leaders, with the view of selecting the most optimum
commercialization route its new 3D printer and powder
technologies
In July 2014 Zecotek contracted
LT-PYRKAL to assemble and test its first compact, high-speed 3D
printer which will use high-performance metal alloys and offer
technical and commercial advantages over other 3D printing
technology. A number of key technical challenges have been solved
and LT-Pyrkal is proceeding with the assembly of the new 3D
printer, which will be used for both prototyping and distributed
manufacturing with specific applications in electronics, aerospace,
automotive, mechanical and healthcare industries. A working
prototype of the high-speed 3D printer is schedule for Q3 calendar
2015.
About the Institute of Chemical Physics
The Institute of Chemical Physics is based in Yerevan, Armenia and is part of Russia`s
International Science and Technology Centre, an intergovernmental
organization connecting scientists from Russia, Georgia and other countries of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) with their peers and
research organizations in the EU, Japan, Republic of Korea, Norway and the
United States. The organization specializes in the
development of the theory of chemical conversion, kinetics and a
mechanism of complex chemical reactions proceeding with a
participation of free radicals and atoms, including chain reaction
as well as combustion and explosion in the gas and condensed
phases. Its main fields of activity include: complex
and elementary chemical reactions with a participation of free
radicals; chemistry of free radicals; chain reactions; combustion
and explosion in the gas and condensed phases; synthesis of
inorganic materials under condition of combustion; development of
technologies of refractory material production by means of SHS
(self-propagating high temperature synthesis) method; catalytic
processes; heterophase chemical processes.
About LT-Pyrkal
LT-PYRKAL is a Greek-Armenian research, development and production
company, specializing in crystal growth, laser accessories and
components, lasers and systems. LT-PYRKAL was established in 1999
and todays employs over 250 highly qualified specialists and
occupies over 30.000 square meters of industrial facilities for for
synthetic crystal growth, opto-mechanics and laser electronics
manufacturing, and laser and EO Systems development. For more
information please visit: http://www.lt-pyrkal.com/en/.
About Zecotek
Zecotek Photonics Inc (TSX-V: ZMS; Frankfurt: W1I) is a photonics
technology company developing high-performance scintillation
crystals, photo detectors, positron emission tomography scanning
technologies, 3D auto-stereoscopic displays, and lasers for
applications in medical, high-tech and industrial sectors.
Founded in 2004, Zecotek operates three divisions: Imaging Systems,
Laser Systems and 3D Display Systems with labs located in
Canada, Korea, Russia, Singapore and U.S.A. The management team is focused on
building shareholder value by commercializing over 50 patented and
patent pending novel photonic technologies directly and through
strategic alliances and joint ventures with leading industry
partners such as the European Organization for Nuclear Research
(Switzerland), Beijing Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd.
(China), NuCare Medical Systems
(South Korea), and National
NanoFab Center (South
Korea). For more information visit www.zecotek.com,
follow @zecotek on Twitter and "like" us in Facebook at
www.facebook.com/zecotek.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements
that are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections
and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future
performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are
difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends
may differ materially from what may have been stated.
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SOURCE Zecotek Photonics Inc.