With 115 participants gathered for this joint edition with J2TS, the RAVIE conference offered a comprehensive overview of the sector, from simulation to industrial applications.

It was a successful debut for the new "Southwest" format. On November 19 and 20, the Mercure Compans hotel buzzed with excitement. By combining the RAVIE (Dry Applied Coatings) and J2TS (Tribology) days, A3TS successfully achieved its goal of cross-disciplinary collaboration, promoting exchanges between communities within highly frequented shared exhibition spaces.

A high-level technological marathon

The particularly dense program covered the entire value chain. The first day focused on mastering techniques and processes.

• Characterization and Simulation: The work carried out by Grindosonic (non-destructive characterization), IFTS (particle cleanliness), and SAE Corbeil (geometric modeling) highlighted the importance of measurement and prediction.

• Process Innovation: The morning continued with notable advances in Cold Spray (Safran/Mines Paris), the new CPS process (Saint-Gobain), and plasma spraying of suspensions (CNRS/UTBM).

• Alternatives and Manufacturing: The afternoon session explored alternatives to wet treatments using lasers (HEF) or atmospheric plasma (Plasma Treat), while also discussing new torches (CNRS/UTBM, Linde AMT) and plasma forming (Bodycote).

Thursday focused on practical applications and the future of driving.

• Multi-sector applications: From mechanical engineering (ENIM) to medical applications with cold spray on PEEK (2PS/INP), through to aeronautics and energy (CIRIMAT, Oerlikon, Safran Helicopter Engines), there has been a wealth of feedback.

Also noteworthy are de-icing solutions (Safir/IRT Saint Exupéry) and ultra-refractory materials (CEA Le Ripault).

• Industry 4.0 and Materials: The end of the conference focused on data with advanced diagnostics (Oseir, Tecnar) and digital twins (Safir/IRCER), before concluding with powder optimization (IRT-M2P) and cobalt-free solutions (Hoganas).

Plenary sessions to gain perspective

Alongside these technical sessions, three plenary conferences provided an opportunity to place these innovations in a strategic context.

Cédric Poupon (Airbus) paved the way by emphasizing the imperative of "robust and eco-efficient" design. The following morning, Li Fu (LTDS) made a lasting impression by connecting two rapidly evolving fields: tribology and artificial intelligence, offering unprecedented perspectives on modeling. Finally, Patrice Christmann (Krysmine) captivated the audience with a lucid geopolitical analysis of critical raw materials, reminding us of the sovereignty issues that underpin our businesses.

Conviviality on the rooftops

Because technology thrives on informal exchanges, the gala evening at Ma Biche sur le Toit provided an ideal setting for conference attendees. Combining cutting-edge expertise with a global vision, this 2025 edition lays solid foundations before passing the baton to Limoges in 2026.