Additive manufacturing of metallic glass from powder in space
Abstract Additive manufacturing of metals – and in particular building with laser-based powder bed fusion – is highly flexible and allows high-resolution features and feedstock savings. Meanwhile, though space stations in low Earth orbit are established, a set of visits to the Moon have been perform...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-10-01
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| Series: | npj Microgravity |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-023-00327-7 |
| _version_ | 1797557456420732928 |
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| author | Christian Neumann Johannes Thore Mélanie Clozel Jens Günster Janka Wilbig Andreas Meyer |
| author_facet | Christian Neumann Johannes Thore Mélanie Clozel Jens Günster Janka Wilbig Andreas Meyer |
| author_sort | Christian Neumann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Additive manufacturing of metals – and in particular building with laser-based powder bed fusion – is highly flexible and allows high-resolution features and feedstock savings. Meanwhile, though space stations in low Earth orbit are established, a set of visits to the Moon have been performed, and humankind can send out rovers to explore Venus and Mars, none of these milestone missions is equipped with technology to manufacture functional metallic parts or tools in space. In order to advance space exploration to long-term missions beyond low Earth orbit, it will be crucial to develop and employ technology for in-space manufacturing (ISM) and in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU). To use the advantages of laser-based powder bed fusion in these endeavours, the challenge of powder handling in microgravity must be met. Here we present a device capable of building parts using metallic powders in microgravity. This was proven on several sounding rocket flights, on which occasions Zr-based metallic glass parts produced by additive manufacturing in space were built. The findings of this work demonstrate that building parts using powder feedstock, which is more compact to transport into space than wire, is possible in microgravity environments. This thus significantly advances ISRU and ISM and paves the way for future tests in prolonged microgravity settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:18:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a290d5ca4a64fabafb0966067bbc136 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2373-8065 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:18:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Microgravity |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a290d5ca4a64fabafb0966067bbc1362023-11-20T10:26:22ZengNature Portfolionpj Microgravity2373-80652023-10-01911910.1038/s41526-023-00327-7Additive manufacturing of metallic glass from powder in spaceChristian Neumann0Johannes Thore1Mélanie Clozel2Jens Günster3Janka Wilbig4Andreas Meyer5Institut für Materialphysik im Weltraum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Linder HöheInstitut für Materialphysik im Weltraum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Linder HöheInstitut für Materialphysik im Weltraum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Linder HöheBundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung (BAM)Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung (BAM)Institut für Materialphysik im Weltraum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Linder HöheAbstract Additive manufacturing of metals – and in particular building with laser-based powder bed fusion – is highly flexible and allows high-resolution features and feedstock savings. Meanwhile, though space stations in low Earth orbit are established, a set of visits to the Moon have been performed, and humankind can send out rovers to explore Venus and Mars, none of these milestone missions is equipped with technology to manufacture functional metallic parts or tools in space. In order to advance space exploration to long-term missions beyond low Earth orbit, it will be crucial to develop and employ technology for in-space manufacturing (ISM) and in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU). To use the advantages of laser-based powder bed fusion in these endeavours, the challenge of powder handling in microgravity must be met. Here we present a device capable of building parts using metallic powders in microgravity. This was proven on several sounding rocket flights, on which occasions Zr-based metallic glass parts produced by additive manufacturing in space were built. The findings of this work demonstrate that building parts using powder feedstock, which is more compact to transport into space than wire, is possible in microgravity environments. This thus significantly advances ISRU and ISM and paves the way for future tests in prolonged microgravity settings.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-023-00327-7 |
| spellingShingle | Christian Neumann Johannes Thore Mélanie Clozel Jens Günster Janka Wilbig Andreas Meyer Additive manufacturing of metallic glass from powder in space npj Microgravity |
| title | Additive manufacturing of metallic glass from powder in space |
| title_full | Additive manufacturing of metallic glass from powder in space |
| title_fullStr | Additive manufacturing of metallic glass from powder in space |
| title_full_unstemmed | Additive manufacturing of metallic glass from powder in space |
| title_short | Additive manufacturing of metallic glass from powder in space |
| title_sort | additive manufacturing of metallic glass from powder in space |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-023-00327-7 |
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