New tech 3D prints rocket parts using multiple metals at once, cuts process time by weeks

Europe is exploring the use of multi-metal 3D printing to build lighter, cheaper rocket engines for next-generation Ariane launches.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology have reportedly developed a novel 3D-printing process for critical rocket components. This new process is able to use multiple metals at once, enabling parts to be printed in a single run, rather than as separate pieces.

Part of the European Union’s €38 million “Enlighten” project, this innovation should translate to fewer individual components needing to be fabricated. It could, it is claimed, help slash the costs and development time for space programs such as the European Space Agency . It should also open the door to the development of more compact, lighter engines with improved performance. Ultimately, this could help Europe build rockets faster and more independently .“With this manufacturing process, we can customize components directly on the computer and print them immediately,” Constantin Jugert, a scientist at the Fraunhofer IGCV, explained. “The enormous flexibility saves us lead times and allows for rapid iterations when requirements change. This saves weeks in development,” he added.3D printing rocket partsThis is a big deal, as, at present, rocket engines are incredibly complex pieces of engineering. They typically required many machined parts made from various metals.These parts are then welded or bonded together, with each part subject to exhaustive testing. This is an expensive and time-consuming process, with many potential points of failure. That makes rocket engines very hard to optimize using traditional manufacturing processes. To help make this simpler, faster, and cheaper, Fraunhofer explored the use of additive manufacturing to make more components in one go.Being able to combine different metals in one print run helps them lay down metal where stress is high, or heat-resistant metal where hot gases flow within a part. It can also enable them to print magnetic metals where control is needed, and lightweight metals where feasible in the design. As reported by Fraunhofer, using this process, they were able to print a rocket valve from a mixture of magnetic and non-magnetic steel.Using traditional processes, this would require each magnetic and non-magnetic part to be built separately, and then later machined and welded together. However, they managed to do all this in just one step. Printing multiple metals in one partAs you can imagine, this is not as easy as it sounds in reality. As the team points out, many metals just don’t “mix” well together; in fact, some can react badly if in contact with one another. Some prime examples include titanium and nickel, which can make the final piece brittle and prone to cracking. For a problem like this, the team used a thin layer of molybdenum to sandwich them together. As impressive as this is, it is important to note that 3D printing is already in use by private companies like SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and Relativity Space. Publicly funded organizations like ArianeGroup, however, currently do not and are now scrambling to catch up.Work like this should now help them develop the next generation of rockets and help organizations like the ESA become more independent in terms of research and development. “We don’t just want to demonstrate how multi-material 3D printing works today – with ‘Enlighten,’ we are laying the foundation for sustainable, flexible mass production of rockets, which will make Europe more independent in the long term,” Jugert added.

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