Imagine having hearing protection so precisely tailored that it fits perfectly to the unique shape of your ear canal. This is exactly what COTRAL LAB, a pioneering company based in Normandy, offers. For over 15 years, this innovative SME has made 3D modeling the cornerstone of its expertise, designing custom-made hearing protection to ensure the health and safety of professionals working in noisy environments.
DLP Technology: A Technological Leap for Superior Hearing Protection
To achieve such unparalleled customization, COTRAL LAB relies on additive manufacturing, specifically Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology. This process hardens liquid resin layer by layer using UV rays, enabling the production of unique, tailor-made hearing protection. Every day, the company produces around 2,600 custom pieces in its workshops.
This manufacturing method gives COTRAL LAB a distinct advantage: it ensures high-quality products that are fast to produce, material-efficient, and perfectly repeatable. These customized products offer maximum comfort and exceptional sound insulation, with a precision level under 100 microns, impossible to achieve with traditional methods.
Tailored Protection for Every Industry
Thanks to its unmatched precision, COTRAL LAB’s products meet the specific sound exposure needs of workers in various industries, including heavy industry, construction, and the food sector.
Continuous Innovation: From Customization to Intelligence
COTRAL LAB’s innovation doesn’t stop at personalized designs. The company continuously improves its products and processes, experimenting with new materials, enhancing ergonomics, and integrating advanced technologies into its hearing protection solutions. Recent innovations include intelligent hearing protection such as Bionear and communication-enabled protection like IT1.
With annual revenues of 50 million euros and 350 employees, COTRAL LAB is a major player in the global personal protection market. The company also offers protective glasses with corrective lenses and communication systems for critical environments.
3D Printing: Empowering Industry 4.0
By leveraging 3D printing to revolutionize hearing protection, COTRAL LAB demonstrates how technological innovation and Industry 4.0 can play a pivotal role in safeguarding workers’ health and safety. It’s a perfect example of how additive manufacturing can be harnessed to serve human well-being while transforming industries.
