In the spotlight
ANNOUNCEMENT: Summer closure for the holiday season
CITRA will be closed for the holiday season from December 24, 2025, to January 4, 2026, included.
Our teams will take advantage of this well-deserved break after a busy year and will return on Monday, January 5, 2026, ready to take on new projects and respond to your requests.
The entire CITRA team wishes you a wonderful holiday season!
New investment in thermal spraying
We are continuing to install technical equipment in our building at 12 rue Soyouz, 87068 Limoges, with the renewal of our thermal spraying technologies and a new booth in the first half of 2026. These new resources, in particular the HVOF and Plasma multicoat processes, are key elements in the development of CITRA.
The CRTS will receive the booth in early 2026, followed closely by the gradual installation of the processes. This project will complete the consolidation of our dry equipment and characterization laboratory in our building, which was inaugurated in 2023.
Our wet processing line will remain at the ENSIL-ENSCI engineering school, along with our administrative offices.
This is a strategic investment to strengthen our capabilities and better support industrial needs. These cutting-edge processes will increase our ability to help companies improve their industrial performance.
A look back at the 14th edition of the JIR: two days of innovation and European collaboration in Limoges
The 14th edition of the AFCRT Interregional Day (JIR) was held in Limoges.
Two days rich in exchanges, discoveries, and European perspectives, which highlighted the collective dynamic of those involved in research and technology transfer. Among the highlights of the event:
- The opening of the JIR by Olivier DURAND, President of the AFCRT, followed by a speech by Pierre JARDIN, General Delegate of ESTER Technopole.
- Conferences led by Antoine V., Alexandre Vandermeersch, and Aurélie Licois (she, her) on European projects and collaborative innovation.
- Matchmaking sessions.
- The presentation of inspiring projects illustrating the richness and diversity of expertise.
- And finally, the closing of these two days by Eric Papon, DRARI Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
💡 As part of this edition, CITRA was pleased to welcome members of the AFCRT for a visit. During this meeting, Fabien HUSSON, Director, and Guillaume Desbordes, Vacuum Storage Project Manager, presented several of our technologies:
- High-pressure cold spray, offering numerous possibilities for repairs, recharging, and additive manufacturing.
- The vacuum deposition room, equipped with a PVD/PECVD magnetron machine and suitable targets (pure metals, alloys, and ceramics).
- The characterization laboratory, equipped with advanced equipment for surface analysis and sample preparation (SEM-FEG, SDL, etc.).
Many thanks to AFCRT for organizing the event, to all the speakers and participants for the high-quality discussions, and to all the CRTs involved in this event.
CITRA attends the RAVIE ET J2TS conference in Toulouse
CITRA took part in two days of lively discussions on tribology, dry running, and surface treatments. This presence allows us to stay connected to technical advances in the sector and refine our understanding of current industrial challenges.
We would like to thank the organizers (A3TS), speakers, and exhibitors for the quality of this edition.
📅 Next event: the RAVIE conference will take place in Limoges on November 4 and 5, 2026!
A new work-study student joins CITRA
In October, CITRA was delighted to welcome Chloe Manquest, currently studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Measurements – specializing in Materials and Physico-Chemical Control – at the Institut Universitaire de Technologie du Limousin, as a new work-study student in the Cold Spray division.
Her arrival is part of CITRA’s commitment to training future technicians and engineers in surface treatment and coating, while supporting R&D projects, and reinforces its desire to support training at the University of Limoges.
We are delighted to accompany her in this stage of her career.
A new adventure at CITRA
After a year of work-study training, Camille Hospital has officially joined the CITRA team on a permanent contract as communications and business development manager.
With a bachelor’s degree in multimedia communications fromGroupe Alternance Limoges, she is continuing her career with us to promote CITRA’s expertise and innovations.
We are delighted to officially welcome her to our team and to continue to energize and develop CITRA.
Cold Spray – a simple and revolutionary principle
Developed in the 1980s and 1990s following research conducted in Russia on high-speed particle projection, Cold Spray (or dynamic cold spraying) has established itself as one of the most promising coating and repair technologies for the aerospace and defense industries.
Today, the industrial application of Cold Spray allows various materials to be deposited on complex shapes.
How does it work? Unlike conventional thermal processes, Cold Spray does not involve melting the filler material.
Fine metal particles (generally between 10 and 50 µm) are accelerated to supersonic speeds (up to 1200 m/s) by compressed and heated gas (air, nitrogen, or helium) before impacting the surface to be treated. Under the effect of the impact, they deform and mechanically anchor themselves to the substrate, forming a dense and adherent deposit.
This process produces non-porous coatings with low heat input, while preserving the mechanical properties of the original material. The density of the deposit obtained and the low oxidation make it an excellent choice for sensitive environments.
There are two main types:
- Low-pressure cold spray (CSBP): suitable for low-melting-point, lightweight materials and on-site maintenance.
- High Pressure Cold Spray (HPCS): preferred for critical applications requiring high yields, strong adhesion, low porosity, and for so-called hard materials (Inconel, titanium, stainless steel, cermet, etc.).
At CITRA, this technology (CSLP and CSHP) complements surface treatment and coating processes, opening up new possibilities for functionalization, repair, and additive manufacturing.
From R&D to industrialization
Cold Spray is part of a dynamic process in which research and innovation accompany industrial maturity.
CITRA’s technology readiness level (TRL) is between TRL 3 and TRL 8 (from proof of concept in the laboratory to pre-industrialization and process qualification). Equipped with an industrial-scale spraying booth, CITRA has been supporting its research partners in industrialization since 2017 by exploring the entire value chain:
- R&D studies and tests using diagnostic tools.
- Optimization of deposition parameters.
- Process qualification and industrialization.
- Repair and recharging of high added-value parts.
- Manufacture of multilayer deposits for high-performance parts.
- Surface functionalization (electrical properties, anti-corrosion, wear, etc.).
👉 R&D now accounts for more than 40% of Cold Spray’s surface treatment activity (source: Traitements & Matériaux No. 489, September 2024 – Feature on Additive Manufacturing Cold Spray, the industrial tool of the future (3/3), by Maurice Ducos).
The goal: to transfer innovative solutions to qualified and sustainable industrial processes.
A response to current challenges
Beyond technical performance, Cold Spray is fully in line with contemporary sustainability challenges. It stands out for its dual purpose: repair and manufacture.
Repair
Cold Spray is increasingly used to repair engine parts, shielded electronic housings, propellers, turbines, blades, and other structures. The process allows worn or damaged areas to be rebuilt without deforming the part or altering its structure. This makes it possible to:
- Restore critical parts (supports, shaft housings, bearings, etc.).
- Extend the service life of expensive metal components (titanium, Inconel, aluminum alloy).
- Replace welding or brazing operations, which are often thermally invasive.
Additive manufacturing
Cold Spray is also an additive manufacturing tool. By successively depositing several layers of material, it is possible to:
- Rebuild complex volumes.
- Manufacture metal parts without melting (and therefore without heat-affected zones).
- Combine several materials in a single component.
This approach makes it possible to create or repair structures for various sectors (such as aeronautics, space, defense, etc.) while promoting a circular economy:
- Extend the life of components.
- Reduce raw material consumption.
- Limit industrial waste.
- And support the relocation of certain maintenance and repair activities.
A technology focused on the future
Cold Spray offers vast possibilities. CITRA is currently exploring new applications such as:
Duplex coatings, combining various surface treatment and coating technologies,
multifunctional coatings to improve material performance,
and the repair of complex parts from critical industries.
With nearly a decade of experience, CITRA remains committed to developing and promoting this promising technology, with a view to creating a more efficient, sustainable, and responsible industry.