Multi-material 3D printing technology creates breakthroughs in space equipment manufacturing

Australia has achieved a major milestone in space manufacturing by successfully producing the first two-metal rocket engine using multi-material 3D printing technology.

The Australian National Science Agency (CSIRO) said on September 25 that this breakthrough product was developed by Australia's Space Machine Company (SMC) and manufactured at CSIRO's Lab22 facility using the Nikon SLM Solution SLM280 2MA metal 3D printer, an industrial printer using selective laser melting (Selective Laser Melting - SLM) technology.

Funded through the iLAuNCH Trailblazer program - a key Australian Government initiative to promote the domestic space industry, the new thruster will be fitted on the Australian-built Optimus Viper spacecraft, serving on-orbit testing, maintenance and logistics operations.

According to CSIRO, the technology combines two high-performance metals in a single print: high-strength steel as the outer shell to ensure structural strength and a copper alloy with high thermal conductivity.

This combination allows the engine to withstand extreme temperatures while maintaining light weight and durability, something rare in conventional rocket propulsion systems that use only one type of metal.

Mr Darin Lovett, CEO of iLAuNCH, said the project was evidence that Australia was increasing its homegrown space technology development, helping the country gain autonomous space capabilities.

CSIRO experts say multi-material 3D printing technology allows printing two metals at the same time, significantly reducing costs and production times, while increasing design flexibility and durability compared to traditional methods, which are complex and expensive.

SMC CEO Rajat Kulshrestha said that tweaking the Scintilla thruster design by integrating the two materials has helped the company optimize performance, thereby accelerating the mass production of Optimus Viper spacecraft.

CSIRO Senior Research Scientist Dr Cherry Chen said that multi-material additive manufacturing has great potential, not only to improve functionality, reduce waste but also to open up new design possibilities for many industries. This technology is also widely applied in many other fields, such as manufacturing parts in the automotive industry, biomedicine, tool manufacturing, or making heat exchangers.

Led by the University of Southern Queensland, in partnership with the Australian National University and the University of South Australia, the iLAuNCH Trailblazer program is working with more than 25 other partners to bridge the gap between research and commercialization in the space sector./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cong-nghe-in-3d-da-vat-lieu-tao-dot-pha-trong-che-tao-thiet-bi-khong-gian-post1064046.vnp