QuesTek Innovations LLC, a developer of new materials and metal alloys for applications in aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics and other technology markets, has announced a joint venture agreement with Tokyo-based Itochu Techno-Solutions (CTC). CTC provides sales and consulting services for a range of materials-related software products, including those for alloy design, materials process design, materials characterization and related databases, while providing support and consulting services. The new joint venture is called QuesTek Japan K.K.

QuesTek has been a pioneer in Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) technologies and its Materials by Design methodology, which combines physics-based models, vetted thermodynamic and kinetic databases of the elements and predictive property models to allow for efficient materials design, process optimization, modeling and simulation. A recent example of QuesTek’s application of ICME was the development of the first high-temperature aluminum alloy for use with additive manufacturing (3D printing).

CTC is deeply involved in providing application support for software that creates comprehensive simulations to predict the properties of materials. Founded in 1972, CTC reported sales in the last fiscal year of over $4.1 billion and has 8,600 employees worldwide.