HOW IS 3D PRINTING USED TO BUILD SPACE ROCKETS?

While 3D printing has been used in the automotive industry for a while now, the aerospace industry is fairly new to additive manufacturing processes. Rocket manufacturing procedures still employ manual labor and traditional development procedures. The recent Space Launch System (SLS) alone took NASA 11 years to develop!

Recently, the aerospace industry has been more receptive to 3D printing. Here’s how the technology can help build space rockets.

It Requires Fewer Parts

Engine development efficiency is largely based on the number of parts required in the manufacturing process. The more parts needed, the more time it’ll take to assemble them all and create the engine. It would also be dependent on the supply chain delays and disruption.

With 3D printing technology, manufacturing becomes easier. Additive manufacturing uses heat-resistant metal alloys, reducing the need for hundreds of components. Instead, space engineers can acquire whole structures within days through 3D printing.

Metal 3D printing uses selective laser sintering for this purpose. The metal powder is melted into shapes by the lasers. It binds at the melted areas and remains in its powder form where it hasn’t melted. The process is repeated to melt another layer of metal powder that’s added to the original one. Building the rocket parts one component at a time streamlines the process and makes it more efficient.

It Reduces the Weight and optimizes the size

3D printing also reduces the weight of the spacecraft being built. The manufacturing process requires fewer components, as stated above. This means fewer nuts and bolts are inserted throughout the structure. As a result, the final product weighs considerably less than it would have otherwise. Weight and size, both are critical elements in the upper stages of the rocket and the payload. Every gram count on the payload, if the weight of a component can be reduced using 3D printing, extra fuel can be carried that increases the life of the satellite in orbit. If the size of the component can be optimized, it can enable the addition of another instrument to conduct studies in outer space.

It’s More Affordable

Building a space rocket isn’t exactly cheap. Millions of dollars are invested in spacecraft manufacturing, which is also why there are limited space enterprises and interested investors. 3D technology makes space rocket development more viable for businesses. Accelerating the development stage and reducing manufacturing costs gives stakeholders a more affordable alternative to traditional manufacturing methods.

This also encourages more private companies and investors to launch initiatives, invest in spacecraft development, and survive the initial few years of being in the industry.

Falcon Technologies International provides premium additive manufacturing and 3D printing services in the UAE, helping organizations across diverse industries. We offer metal and polymer 3D printing solutions to various sectors.

Contact us today to learn more about our additive manufacturing services.