WEIMAR, Germany, March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 26th, Wanhua Chemical Group Battery Technology Co., Ltd ("Wanhua Chemical") and IBU-tec ( "IBU-tec"), the leading European manufacturer of lithium iron phosphate materials, successfully held a signing ceremony for the Joint Research and Development Agreement (JDA) in Weimar, Germany. The partnership with IBU-tec does not affect the progress of concrete talks with further companies on far-reaching cooperation, which Wanhua Chemical is currently conducting.
Within the framework of the partnership, IBU-tec and Wanhua Chemical will carry out a scale-up towards the industrial scale in the coming months. The partners expect to have reliable results in the third quarter of the current year as to whether the joint development will meet market requirements in Europe and North America. If this is the case, it will open up extensive potential for the production of an LFP cathode material in Germany that would be part of a European value chain in the battery sector.
Dr. Hua Weiqi, Executive Vice President of Wanhua Chemical, Mr. Wang Xiaoxing, General Manager of Wanhua Battery Industry Company Limited, Mr. Jörg Leinenbach, CEO of IBU-tec and Mr. Ulrich Weitz, CPO of IBU-tec, attended the signing ceremony. This event marks the formal opening of the in-depth cooperation between the two parties in the field of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) materials.
In the field of battery materials, lithium iron phosphate has gradually become a mainstream product in the new energy automobile and energy storage market with its advantages of high safety and long cycle life. In recent years, Wanhua Chemical has established a technology platform integrating battery material technology development, equipment technology development, and electric core application technology research, and its lithium iron phosphate products have been upgraded continuously. In this cooperation, the company will establish a local supply chain to supply LFP materials to European customers.
Dr. Hua Weiqi said: LFP shows the dominant position (almost 80% share in EV in Chinese market), and is almost the only commercially available solution for energy storage. Wanhua Chemical adheres to the globalization strategy and has set up 7 R&D centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Hungary, Spain, etc., 9 production bases and more than 10 overseas sales organizations, and IBU-tec, as a local German Li-ion material factory, focuses on the R&D and production of LFP, and owns a mature R&D and production system.
In the future, the two sides will also discuss the establishment of a joint laboratory in Europe, to begin cooperation in the field of battery innovation and R&D, to provide strong local R & D support for the development of the European battery industry.
About Wanhua Chemical:
Wanhua Chemical is a globally operated chemical new materials company, ranking 16th of C&EN's Global Top 50 chemical companies, with over 30000 employees worldwide. Its business covers polyurethanes, petrochemicals, performance chemicals, emerging materials and future industries. The industries include homeware and furniture, sports and leisure, automobiles and transportation, building and construction, electronics and electrical appliances, personal care, and green energy.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Wanhua Chmeical and IBU-tec signed a Joint Development Agreement for the development of a European LFP battery material, creating the basis for a European value chain in the battery sector
Wanhua Chmeical and IBU-tec signed a Joint Development Agreement for the development of a European LFP battery material, creating the basis for a European value chain in the battery sector
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SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --
"Technology is not just a tool. It becomes part of our lives."
This is the line in Her, a film about a future where technology feels less like a machine and more like an extension of human emotion. And in many ways, the future that once lived in imagination is no longer fiction. We're living in a moment where tools that used to feel distant, cold, or intimidating are quietly becoming warmer, simpler, and more integrated into daily routines.
Not long ago, 3D printers were exactly the opposite: complex, technical devices reserved for experts and makers. But today, the whole landscape is shifting rapidly. The gap between complicated technology and ordinary life is narrowing. Creation no longer requires expertise, it simply needs a spark of curiosity.
The Spark that makes Spark X exist
Not just for makers or experts, Spark X stands for moving faster, focusing on simplicity, and reliability that makes creation effortless.
Why make users learn 3D printing when the product itself can handle complexity? By rethinking the 3D printing experience around immediate usability, Spark X makes it possible for anyone to move from idea to creation without being held back by technical barriers or steep learning curves.
Our perspective on this opportunity comes from thousands of conversations over the years of building with our users. Spending countless hours across all social platforms, seeing how people learn, struggle, and celebrate their first successes, has shaped our understanding of what truly matters most to 3D printer users. It became clear to us to find the path of 3D printing: Ready-to-use.
Ready to Use: The Principle Behind Every Spark X Decision
True "ready-to-use" experience comes from understanding exactly where beginners struggle. Every potential sticking point, from unboxing to the first print, is anticipated. Complex calibration, repeated tests, and confusing setup are removed, letting users focus on creation immediately. Intelligent algorithms reduce multi-color waste by 50%, so beginners can experiment freely without worrying about materials, while experienced users retain advanced options for precision and control.
AI acts as a creative partner, taking over tasks that once required experience. It searches globally for models, generates 3D designs from text or images, monitors prints in real time, and intervenes automatically when issues arise. Frequent updates integrate the latest AI capabilities, ensuring the printer grows smarter over time and every print remains reliable and inspiring.
The hotend is one of the most frequently handled parts of a desktop printer, but traditional replacements are risky and intimidating. Users often need to swap nozzles for wear, material changes, performance needs, or troubleshooting—but conventional designs involve heated disassembly, screws, wires, thermal paste, and fragile parts. Many users avoid it entirely, limiting flexibility and efficiency.
Spark X's quick-change hotend was shaped through eight full design cycles and a complete structural rethink. Early prototypes still relied on threaded retention and partial wiring, which solved speed but not reliability. Later versions explored magnetic coupling, multi-point latches, anti-rotation keys, and finally a floating alignment system capable of repeatedly positioning within 0.05mm. Each iteration exposed new failure modes—from thermal creep affecting connectors, to repeated insertion loosening tolerances, to material expansion shifting alignment. By the final rounds, the team rebuilt the module from the inside out: relocating stress points, isolating heat, reinforcing the datum surfaces, and designing a locking motion that is intuitive yet mechanically robust.
The result is a mechanism that lets users replace a nozzle in three seconds—no tools, no wires, hot-swap supported up to 220°C, and over 500 verified insertion cycles. Maintenance becomes instinctive rather than technical, allowing anyone to change materials freely, recover from issues quickly, and treat the printer like a dependable tool instead of a fragile device.
Every design choice in Spark X, from effortless onboarding to AI-assisted printing to intuitive maintenance, removes barriers between curiosity and creation, setting the stage for the story of how Spark X truly began.
Minds Behind Spark X, Where the Idea Truly Began
Spark X didn't begin with a single breakthrough or a moment of sudden clarity. It began with a small team that kept returning to the same question:
"Why is 3D printing still hard for so many people? Why can't the product itself solve the problems, so users can focus directly on ideas?"
Inside the Spark X team, discussions often started from personal stories. The biggest inspiration came from my own family and friends.
I love printing small gifts for loved ones, keychains, tiny avatars, and custom tools. Every time we met, they would look at those prints with curiosity and say, "I really want to try this too. Which printer should I get? And every time, the hesitation arises. Because I knew what recommending a "beginner-friendly" printer really meant: a complicated unboxing, learning slicer software, material differences, parameter setting, and even further troubleshooting. Inevitably, I will be their "free tech support," guiding them through every step. So after a moment of silence, I usually ended up saying, "Maybe… consider another hobby?"
Yet Spark X was shaped not only by frustrations, but by a few moments that made us feel what a truly effortless 3D printing experience could be. One of the earliest and clearest moments came from the quick-swap hotend. The first time we removed the entire nozzle module in just a few seconds during an internal demo, the room went completely still before anyone reacted. The operation was so simple, so unexpectedly natural, that even our own engineers were momentarily confused, "Wait… It's already done?" That brief silence told us something important: when a task that used to be intimidating finishes in a snap, creativity becomes possible for far more people. It was the first time we felt how deeply meaningful "effortless" could be.
Another defining moment came when someone went from an idea to a finished print using only the mobile app. Seeing a user generate a design with AI, send it to print, and hold the object in their hand without touching a computer, configuring parameters, or learning a slicer, made the entire team pause. It was a glimpse into a world where creativity truly starts with curiosity, not technical knowledge. That moment became one of the emotional anchors of Spark X: lowering the barrier not by teaching more.
Other moments left their marks in quieter ways. Like watching the machine run steadily during long prints in extreme temperatures, giving us confidence that reliability could be something users feel rather than think about. Or the day a simple ambient glow light transformed the printer from a cold tool into something warm and welcoming, reminding us that people don't just interact with machines; they live with them, create beside them, and often find comfort in the process itself.
These moments shaped our belief that 3D printing should never demand courage or expertise. Spark X was built on a different idea: Technology removes friction and respects the user's feelings, and creativity becomes a natural part of life.
Spark X continues to evolve, combining user-centred design, AI-assisted printing, and effortless maintenance. Our goal is to make 3D creation universally accessible, reliable, and inspiring, so anyone can turn curiosity into creation, today and in the future.
About Spark X:
SPARKX is a new 3D printing brand born from Creality's technical legacy, but engineered for a new generation. We've moved beyond intimidating, overly technical machines to create a product you can unbox and start using right away—one that looks cool on your desk and becomes genuinely addictive to play with.
Why did we create this? Because we noticed many young people are actually curious about 3D printing, but are held back by the same thoughts: "It's too hard to use", "It looks out of place on my desk", "I'm just not sure what to do with it." So we decided to start something new.
With AI that turns selfies into 3D models with one tap, RGB ambient lighting that elevates your desk vibe, and an ultra-simple process that gets you printing in just a few clicks. We wanted to turn the 3D printer into something you're proud to keep on your desk, something you don't want to turn off, something that makes your friends say, "Wow."
That vision could only come to life by truly listening — So we did. We started with a simple mission: build what users actually asked for. We listened to the hopes of experienced creators and the pain points of newcomers. We validated them through rigorous research with thousands of users. Then, we built the SPARKX i7 to bridge that gap. Every feature, from its whisper-quiet operation to its AI-assisted setup, responds directly to your voice. This is 3D printing, redefined by users.
SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --
"Technology is not just a tool. It becomes part of our lives."
This is the line in Her, a film about a future where technology feels less like a machine and more like an extension of human emotion. And in many ways, the future that once lived in imagination is no longer fiction. We're living in a moment where tools that used to feel distant, cold, or intimidating are quietly becoming warmer, simpler, and more integrated into daily routines.
Not long ago, 3D printers were exactly the opposite: complex, technical devices reserved for experts and makers. But today, the whole landscape is shifting rapidly. The gap between complicated technology and ordinary life is narrowing. Creation no longer requires expertise, it simply needs a spark of curiosity.
The Spark that makes Spark X exist
Not just for makers or experts, Spark X stands for moving faster, focusing on simplicity, and reliability that makes creation effortless.
Why make users learn 3D printing when the product itself can handle complexity? By rethinking the 3D printing experience around immediate usability, Spark X makes it possible for anyone to move from idea to creation without being held back by technical barriers or steep learning curves.
Our perspective on this opportunity comes from thousands of conversations over the years of building with our users. Spending countless hours across all social platforms, seeing how people learn, struggle, and celebrate their first successes, has shaped our understanding of what truly matters most to 3D printer users. It became clear to us to find the path of 3D printing: Ready-to-use.
Ready to Use: The Principle Behind Every Spark X Decision
True "ready-to-use" experience comes from understanding exactly where beginners struggle. Every potential sticking point, from unboxing to the first print, is anticipated. Complex calibration, repeated tests, and confusing setup are removed, letting users focus on creation immediately. Intelligent algorithms reduce multi-color waste by 50%, so beginners can experiment freely without worrying about materials, while experienced users retain advanced options for precision and control.
AI acts as a creative partner, taking over tasks that once required experience. It searches globally for models, generates 3D designs from text or images, monitors prints in real time, and intervenes automatically when issues arise. Frequent updates integrate the latest AI capabilities, ensuring the printer grows smarter over time and every print remains reliable and inspiring.
The hotend is one of the most frequently handled parts of a desktop printer, but traditional replacements are risky and intimidating. Users often need to swap nozzles for wear, material changes, performance needs, or troubleshooting—but conventional designs involve heated disassembly, screws, wires, thermal paste, and fragile parts. Many users avoid it entirely, limiting flexibility and efficiency.
Spark X's quick-change hotend was shaped through eight full design cycles and a complete structural rethink. Early prototypes still relied on threaded retention and partial wiring, which solved speed but not reliability. Later versions explored magnetic coupling, multi-point latches, anti-rotation keys, and finally a floating alignment system capable of repeatedly positioning within 0.05mm. Each iteration exposed new failure modes—from thermal creep affecting connectors, to repeated insertion loosening tolerances, to material expansion shifting alignment. By the final rounds, the team rebuilt the module from the inside out: relocating stress points, isolating heat, reinforcing the datum surfaces, and designing a locking motion that is intuitive yet mechanically robust.
The result is a mechanism that lets users replace a nozzle in three seconds—no tools, no wires, hot-swap supported up to 220°C, and over 500 verified insertion cycles. Maintenance becomes instinctive rather than technical, allowing anyone to change materials freely, recover from issues quickly, and treat the printer like a dependable tool instead of a fragile device.
Every design choice in Spark X, from effortless onboarding to AI-assisted printing to intuitive maintenance, removes barriers between curiosity and creation, setting the stage for the story of how Spark X truly began.
Minds Behind Spark X, Where the Idea Truly Began
Spark X didn't begin with a single breakthrough or a moment of sudden clarity. It began with a small team that kept returning to the same question:
"Why is 3D printing still hard for so many people? Why can't the product itself solve the problems, so users can focus directly on ideas?"
Inside the Spark X team, discussions often started from personal stories. The biggest inspiration came from my own family and friends.
I love printing small gifts for loved ones, keychains, tiny avatars, and custom tools. Every time we met, they would look at those prints with curiosity and say, "I really want to try this too. Which printer should I get? And every time, the hesitation arises. Because I knew what recommending a "beginner-friendly" printer really meant: a complicated unboxing, learning slicer software, material differences, parameter setting, and even further troubleshooting. Inevitably, I will be their "free tech support," guiding them through every step. So after a moment of silence, I usually ended up saying, "Maybe… consider another hobby?"
Yet Spark X was shaped not only by frustrations, but by a few moments that made us feel what a truly effortless 3D printing experience could be. One of the earliest and clearest moments came from the quick-swap hotend. The first time we removed the entire nozzle module in just a few seconds during an internal demo, the room went completely still before anyone reacted. The operation was so simple, so unexpectedly natural, that even our own engineers were momentarily confused, "Wait… It's already done?" That brief silence told us something important: when a task that used to be intimidating finishes in a snap, creativity becomes possible for far more people. It was the first time we felt how deeply meaningful "effortless" could be.
Another defining moment came when someone went from an idea to a finished print using only the mobile app. Seeing a user generate a design with AI, send it to print, and hold the object in their hand without touching a computer, configuring parameters, or learning a slicer, made the entire team pause. It was a glimpse into a world where creativity truly starts with curiosity, not technical knowledge. That moment became one of the emotional anchors of Spark X: lowering the barrier not by teaching more.
Other moments left their marks in quieter ways. Like watching the machine run steadily during long prints in extreme temperatures, giving us confidence that reliability could be something users feel rather than think about. Or the day a simple ambient glow light transformed the printer from a cold tool into something warm and welcoming, reminding us that people don't just interact with machines; they live with them, create beside them, and often find comfort in the process itself.
These moments shaped our belief that 3D printing should never demand courage or expertise. Spark X was built on a different idea: Technology removes friction and respects the user's feelings, and creativity becomes a natural part of life.
Spark X continues to evolve, combining user-centred design, AI-assisted printing, and effortless maintenance. Our goal is to make 3D creation universally accessible, reliable, and inspiring, so anyone can turn curiosity into creation, today and in the future.
About Spark X:
SPARKX is a new 3D printing brand born from Creality's technical legacy, but engineered for a new generation. We've moved beyond intimidating, overly technical machines to create a product you can unbox and start using right away—one that looks cool on your desk and becomes genuinely addictive to play with.
Why did we create this? Because we noticed many young people are actually curious about 3D printing, but are held back by the same thoughts: "It's too hard to use", "It looks out of place on my desk", "I'm just not sure what to do with it." So we decided to start something new.
With AI that turns selfies into 3D models with one tap, RGB ambient lighting that elevates your desk vibe, and an ultra-simple process that gets you printing in just a few clicks. We wanted to turn the 3D printer into something you're proud to keep on your desk, something you don't want to turn off, something that makes your friends say, "Wow."
That vision could only come to life by truly listening — So we did. We started with a simple mission: build what users actually asked for. We listened to the hopes of experienced creators and the pain points of newcomers. We validated them through rigorous research with thousands of users. Then, we built the SPARKX i7 to bridge that gap. Every feature, from its whisper-quiet operation to its AI-assisted setup, responds directly to your voice. This is 3D printing, redefined by users.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Spark X: The Journey to Ready-to-Use 3D Creation
Spark X: The Journey to Ready-to-Use 3D Creation
Spark X: The Journey to Ready-to-Use 3D Creation
