IFL - Institute of Aircraft Design & Lightweight Structures’ Post

Have you ever considered how the aerospace industry manages to reduce the weight of their planes? Of course the carbon nacelle and the vertical tail comes into the mind, but what about systems, like the breaks of the aircraft? How do you stop a fully loaded Airbus A350 with 200 tons on the runway safely? Breaking systems are extremely heavy therefore new technologies need to be developed and applied on future generation of planes. The task however is extremely challenging, because you cannot just replace material A by B, but need to apply sytemthinking in engineering. Today Composites Lounge introduces you with Xenia Sophia Köneke of DLR - Institut für Systemleichtbau a demonstrator part that displays systemthinking in components manufacture. And here is the catch: how do you combine lightweight processes like additive manufacturing and injection molding that need to follow a path without start and stops? This is were sophisticated software comes into play. The approach demonstrated by the DLR Institute for Lightweight Systems, more precisely the DLR Innovation Lab EmpowerAX with their partners 9T Labs, WEBER additive and SWMS is proof that combining conventional composite manufacturing with the high design freedom and agility of the fiber reinforced 3D printing ensures the material is put only where it is really needed. That is the USP of this systemthought, which brings the functionality into the part that it needs for its application and that makes it cost efficient and resource saving. That's also why the JEC Group's independent jury has awarded it with their elite innovation price. Xenia and the whole DLR Team are welcoming you to a two day event in Braunschweig Sept. 25/26 in 2024. You will experience high calibre networking, first hand insights into their CFRP (CFK) wing lab and up-to-date know-how co-ordinated by Germany's No 1 aerospace centre. I will be present on both days, too and encourage you to join our Composites Lounge mission of CREATING SUSTAINABLE VALUE with their partners in Braunschweig. You can find all registration links in the comments below. Once again, I thank the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V. team for organising a public event of this scale, to better our world with sustainable aviation and for opening their doors to the expert public through LinkedIn. Now, watch this fully subtitled video here on LinkedIn. It is also available on our Youtube and soon on any of your preferred audio podcast channels. #Composites360OnTour #CompositesLounge #LightweightTechnologies

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦: 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐲. It's 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐞 for satellite manufacturers. The forthcoming wave of EO #constellations will tackle very #HighResolution demands, both spatially and spectrally. This evolution is not just to stand out among the competition but also to cater to the increasingly #specialized needs of the (end-)users. This shift to more and more high-res applications dictates that the next generation of EO satellites needs to provide a very high pointing #accuracy and #stability to enable high quality data products. These performance parameters are influenced by a multitude of factors (mechanical, thermal, power, etc.). Reflex Aerospace is - in parallel to its growing number of commercial missions - constantly R&D'ing bleeding edge solutions to address these future challenges. The photo shows a 3D printed prototype of a mount for optical instruments that is optimized for mechanical and thermal stability. Basically, we are thinking along the #valuechain: Our goal is not only to make our customers happy. But to make THEIR customers happy as well! #Innovation #EarthObservation #SatelliteTechnology #UserDrivenDevelopment #AdditiveManufacturing #3Dprinting

The winter issue is out! Please check out my new article contained within ✔️The Additive Manufacturing of record-breaking pure copper heatsinks for high-performance computing applications

🚀 Diving into the Testing Phase of Our Final Year Project! 🚀 I’m excited to take you behind the scenes of our final year project, “Trajectory Control Through Thrust Vectoring Using Gimbaled Nozzle.” In this phase, we put our theoretical models and CAD designs to the test with a prototype designed specifically for lab conditions. We developed a scaled prototype of the nozzle and conducted rigorous tests to validate its performance. The prototype was 3D printed and equipped with a gimbaled nozzle system, powered by electric actuator to simulate thrust vectoring. We performed a series of tests to assess the nozzle’s performance and its impact on trajectory control. The testing phase confirmed the effectiveness of our design, demonstrating stable trajectory control and validating our simulation results. This phase was crucial in bridging the gap between theoretical research and practical application, providing insights that will contribute to future advancements in rocket propulsion technology. #PrototypeTesting #RocketScience #EngineeringInnovation #ThrustVectoring

Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (SEAM) has great potential for the functionalisation of large #fibre composite structures! 💡   In a current example, we are using a combination of SEAM and In-Situ Automated Fibre Placement to integrate stiffening elements into shell #structures. This not only enables automated production without downstream joining processes, but also the integration of media lines into the integral hollow structure. Team members: Simon Hümbert, Samuel Tröger, Aaron Schmidt Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V. #dlrbt #dlr #AFP #3Dprinting #research #aerospace #additivemanufacturing #technology #overprinting #innovation #automatedproduction #composites #thermoplastics #Luftfahrt #Raumfahrt #Forschung #Technologie #3DDruck #AdditiveFertigung #Verbundwerkstoffe #Automatisierung

Ever wondered how the 🛰#smallsat industry is innovating using modern #additivemanufacturing techniques? In the next 5-6 years, more small satellites will be 🚀launched than ever before. While they become smaller, the demand for energy and thus larger solar panels is actually increasing📈, which requires more efficient solar panel storage and deployment. The current mechanisms are large, bulky, and susceptible to failures, and current solar arrays are not rigid enough for advanced satellites. The AM-SPACE project addresses these challenges. Thin hinges made from #shapememory #polymers are developed to replace the bulky and heavy metal hinges that connect the individual solar panels. Shape memory materials allow the solar panels to be folded up and deployed using only heat, without adding complex electromechanical components. These hinges will also be stiffer, allowing the satellite to maneuver quicker. To make this possible, at Orion Additive Manufacturing we are further developing our 3D printing processes for manufacturing shape-memory and #composite materials to make #efficient and #reliable manufacture of these space-grade hinges possible. The project is co-funded by the European Union in the AMBER call with funding reference number 10193599. This project is being coordinated by German Orbital Systems GmbH and is being carried out in collaboration with Fraunhofer IZM and Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Polymerforschung IAP. Read more about this on our website: https://lnkd.in/dm2kQ2yW #SpaceInnovation #SatelliteTechnology #SolarEnergy #3DPrinting #ShapeMemoryPolymers #SpaceExploration #TechRevolution #AMSPACE #OrionAM #GermanOrbitalSystems #FraunhoferIZM #FraunhoferIAP #EFRE #AM #Space #newspace

This is stellar, part II 💫 Weeks ago I posted about the first metal 3D printer being installed by European Space Agency - ESA inside of the ISS. Earlier this week I´ve seen at Enrico Gallino, Ph.D. that the researchers concluded the first metal 3d print in space. 🧑🏻🚀🚀 💡A small stainless steel S-curve which successfully conclude the commissioning of the printer. ↗️The printer, based on wire laser direct energy deposition process, has been developed by Airbus Defence and Space and AddUp in collaboration with European Space Agency - ESA 🎯 The purpose of the printer is to produce stainless steel samples in microgravity that will be tested and compared to samples produced on Earth to understand the differences in printing quality and performance between the two printing environments. 🚀 This lays the base for #additivemanufacturing of parts in space, which will open up now horizons in space exploration. 🌍 For all your more down to earth #3dprinting needs, feel free to reach out to Replique 📞 Kind regards, Mark stop warehousing, source on-demand #digitalmanufacturing #supplychain #robotics #automation #maschinenbau

🇨🇳🚀 The first high-altitude recovery test of China's first retrievable carrier rocket！ The Deep Blue Aerospace Star Cloud-1 rocket is a truly orbital-level rocket, equipped with landing legs made of carbon fiber composite material designed to orbital standards, smoothly deploying and locking in mid-air. It is worth noting that the three liquid engines executing the flight mission are integrally formed using 3D printing technology, leading the domestic commercial rocket manufacturing field. The entire test rocket performed perfectly in the ascent and descent phases, but encountered an anomaly in the engine throttle servo follow-up control command during the final landing and shutdown phase, resulting in the rocket landing at a height exceeding the design range, thus the test was not completed perfectly. The Deep Blue Aerospace Star Cloud-1 rocket will prepare for its second high-altitude recovery flight test in November, never stopping until perfection is achieved! This flight test was conducted at the Ejina Aerospace Port self-built by Deep Blue Aerospace, where the ground equipment, refueling system, and telemetry system were independently developed by Deep Blue Aerospace. The test site is a fully commercialized testing ground capable of meeting the testing requirements for liquid rocket flights, located in the hinterland of the Gobi Desert, adjacent to the southern side of China's third largest desert-the Badain Jaran Desert, surrounded by vast uninhabited areas of the Gobi Desert, with inherent safety characteristics. The test flight area this time points to the uninhabited area of the desert to the south, strictly following the safety requirements for rocket testing, conducting comprehensive risk identification, control, and emergency plans, ensuring the safety of this test and public safety. #DeepBlueAerospace #StarCloud1rocket #retrievablerocket

🚀 Thrilled to Share an Achievement! 🌌 My teammate Gilles Hartman and I are incredibly proud to have won Second Place in the 2024 Parapy KBE Contest hosted by Parapy! 🎉 Our project, "Habitect", is a smart Knowledge Based Engineering (KBE) application designed to streamline the way we conceptualize extraterrestrial habitats. 🌍➡️🌕➡️🔭 Key Features of Habitect: ✨ User-Friendly Design: Simplistic inputs like the number of crew members and mission duration power complex outputs. 🛠️ In-Situ 3D Printing: The application leverages local materials to enable cost- and resource-efficient construction on other planets. 📊 Data-Driven: Built upon real mission data and insights such as that from the International Space Station (ISS), ensuring accurate volume and power sizing for optimal habitat design. This project was selected among four others that were originally submissions for the Knowledge Based Engineering course taught at the TU Delft | Aerospace Engineering. A huge thank you to ParaPy for organizing this contest and providing a platform to showcase our work! Here’s to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and dreaming beyond the stars! 🚀 #Innovation #SpaceExploration #KBE #Habitect #Parapy #3DPrinting #Teamwork #Engineering

The only reason to use the rocket emoji on Linkedin: Today’s Spotlight! 🚀 We're shooting for the sky with another printed part for the Space Team Aachen e.V. - a student initiative for aerospace projects. Today we are on the edge. On the leading edge to be precise! The Space Teams latest rocked “Aquila Maris” is now rocking super sharp Leading Edges 3D printed with aluminum. The leading edges of a rocket are the side parts of the wings. They need to be specially shaped to ensure a smooth air flow. As the rocket travels at high speeds (around Mach 2), it is heated significantly by the atmosphere. That’s why aluminum bonded with a special adhesive is used for the leading edges to withstand this heat. We can't wait to see the rocket's first flight! ____________________________________________________ Photo: Space Team Aachen e.V. More Spotlights: #DAPspotlight #design #research #innovation #3dprinting #creativity #additivemanufacturing #future #technology #aerospace