BBC News, 15
July 2013
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| Nasa says 3D printing could one day be used by astronauts to make replacement parts |
The US
space agency said that the injector component could be made more quickly and cheaply using the technique.
The part is
used to deliver liquid oxygen and hydrogen gas to an engine's combustion chamber.
The news
follows General Electric's revelation that it planned to use 3D printing
technology to make fuel nozzles for its jet engines.
Nasa said
that California-based Aerojet Rocketdyne had made the injector using a method
called selective laser melting (SLM).
The
technique involves turning a computer-designed object into a real-world part by
controlling a high-powered laser beam which melts and fuses thin layers of
metallic powders into the preordained shape.
The test
part was smaller than would be used in a full-size rocket, but large enough to
test it could withstand the heat and pressure involved.
Nasa said
the component would normally have taken a year to make because of the exact
measurements involved, but by using SLM the manufacturing time was cut to less
than four months and the price reduced by more than 70%.
"Nasa
recognises that on Earth and potentially in space, additive manufacturing can
be game-changing for new mission opportunities, significantly reducing
production time and cost by 'printing' tools, engine parts or even entire
spacecraft," said Michael Gazarik, Nasa's associate administrator for
space technology.
SLM is not
the only unusual manufacturing technique being explored by Nasa.
The agency
has also asked researchers at Washington State University to see whether it
would be possible to 3D-print objects out of powder made from lunar rocks.
It is also
testing a process called electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) which uses a
computer-controlled electron beam gun placed in a vacuum that welds metal wires
into complex shapes and patterns.
It has
suggested the process could be used by astronauts to make spare parts in space.
Design
competition
Nasa's
announcement comes a month after General Electric announced a competition for
third-parties to create the best 3D-printable design for an aircraft engine
bracket - the part used to support the engine when it needs to be serviced.
 |
| General Electric is using 3D-printed parts in a new range of turbofan engines |
The US
company has already used SLM to produce parts for its upcoming Leap (Leading
Edge Aviation Propulsion) family of turbofan engines, made in conjunction with
France's Snecma.
It has said
the process allowed it to make a single widget rather than having to solder 15
to 20 parts together, helping cut its weight and boost the engine's fuel
efficiency.
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