Sculpteo’s 3D printing technology used by autonomous robots to keep waterways clean

Sculpteo has worked with that Iadys, a French robotics company specialising in autonomous solutions for water surface cleaning, for the production of components for the robots. 

The specialised water surface cleaning company relies on Sculpteo’s additive manufacturing services for several functional components of its robots, including threaded net standoff fasteners used to secure and guide the collection net at the rear of the chassis. Sculpteo’s PA12 S material was selected for this application due to its balance of mechanical performance, chemical resistance and cost efficiency. Its strong resistance to hydrocarbons and other aggressive substances makes it particularly suitable for use in marine and industrial environments where exposure to oils and fuels is frequent.

PA12 S offers low and stable water absorption compared to other polyamides, ensuring dimensional stability even under prolonged immersion in water which makes it a suitable material for marine environments. Combined with its affordability for small to medium production runs and its high level of accuracy and precision during the printing process, PA12 S is an ideal material for producing reliable functional components such as threaded net standoffs used in Iadys’ robotic systems.

Nicolas Carlési, CEO and founder of Iadys, said: ‘Working with Sculpteo has been a real asset for series production: consistent quality, scalable tooling, and a smooth, reliable manufacturing workflow.’

Alexandre d’Orsetti, CEO of Sculpteo, added: ‘Beyond this project, Iadys is driven by a long term mission to deploy autonomous robotic systems that address environmental challenges at scale. Each project contributes to building more reliable, efficient, and field ready solutions with tangible real world impact. As a result, at Sculpteo, we are proud to contribute to the development and production of these robots, supporting Iadys in turning its mission driven innovations into reliable, real world solutions deployed at scale.’