3D printing holds immense potential for use in space. Its speed and efficiency make it an ideal technology for environments where resources are limited. However, one major challenge remains: we still don’t fully understand how microgravity affects the 3D printing process. To address this gap, the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Clausthal University of Technology, and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have launched a joint project called “Powder Additive Production under Weightless Conditions.†The goal is to study the effects of microgravity on 3D printing and bring us closer to a future where space-based additive manufacturing becomes routine.
As part of DLR’s 30th parabolic flight campaign, researchers conducted powder-based 3D printing experiments during a five-day period. These flights were organized by the French company Novespace on behalf of DLR. The aircraft used was an Airbus A310, equipped with a large onboard laboratory. The flights began from an airport in Bordeaux and crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Each day, the plane completed 31 parabolic maneuvers, providing about 22 seconds of weightlessness per flight. Over four days, the team experienced a total of 35 minutes of microgravity conditions.
NASA has already been using a 3D printer on the International Space Station, but that device is a plastic-based FDM printer, which works differently from a powder bed system. This new project focused on creating a single metal 3D-printed component and developing a method to stabilize metal powders in microgravity. Previously, this was extremely challenging because the powder beds lacked the necessary pressure to hold the material in place.
To overcome this issue, the researchers used an air-gas flow inhalation system. In the absence of gravity, the powder could be held in place using a vacuum. They successfully printed 30 layers of a test object, marking a promising first step. Not only does this method help stabilize the 3D printing process in microgravity, but the inhalation system could also improve traditional 3D printing on Earth. This research opens up exciting possibilities for both space exploration and terrestrial applications.
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