3D Printed NASA Thrust Chamber Assembly Combines Two Metal Processes | The Cool Parts Show Ep. 71

When we talk about spacecraft, we are largely talking about propulsion. About 70% of the cost of a spacecraft, along with considerable manufacturing lead time, is attributable to the propulsion system alone. That means the chance to streamline the design and production of this system offers the chance to deliver dramatic time and cost savings in spacecraft manufacturing. NASA’s Rapid Analysis and Manufacturing Propulsion Technology (RAMPT) program aims to apply additive manufacturing to this challenge, transforming what has historically been an elaborate assembly (in part because of the complexity of the cooling network) into a unified 3D printed structure. Accomplishing this is such a big job, it takes two additive processes. The Cool Parts Show visited NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to learn about a single-piece, multi-metal thrust chamber assembly made through laser powder bed fusion of copper alloy joined to nickel superalloy via directed energy deposition. Propulsion systems made this way could be produced in days instead of months, with significantly less effort and material waste.

This episode of The Cool Parts Show brought to you by Carpenter Additive. https://www.carpenteradditive.com/

FOR ALL ACCESS MEMBERS: We discovered another cool part — a supercooled part, actually — during our visit to Marshall. Cryogenic tanks for refueling in space are made in one piece through directed energy deposition. The Cool Parts Show All Access is a free subscription for fans of the show. Sign up and watch this month's exclusive Extra here: https://www.additivemanufacturing.med...

LEARN MORE ABOUT:

Marshall Space Flight Center
https://www.nasa.gov/marshall/

“Evolved” brackets developed at Goddard Space Flight Center
https://www.additivemanufacturing.med...

Collapsible lattices designed at Jet Propulsion Laboratory
https://www.additivemanufacturing.med...

Parts for the Perseverance Mars Rover
https://www.additivemanufacturing.med...

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0:00 3D Printed Thrust Chamber
0:44 What is it?
3:15 Internal Cooling Channels
4:43 How It's Made Conventionally
7:17 The Additive Manufacturing Advantage
9:00 Combustion Chamber & Powder Bed Fusion
10:34 DED & Multi-Material 3D Printing
14:32 Composite Overwrap
16:01 Hot Fire Testing
18:03 Full-Scale Thrust Chamber
19:30 Thrust Chamber Summarized
20:16 Cryogenic Propellant Tanks
20:45 Metal Powder Handling Solutions

#3dprinting #engineering #manufacturing