Engineers at Penn State and Arizona State leverage 3DS tech for shape memory alloy radiators.
Space isn’t just an exciting frontier for humanity, but for additive manufacturing (AM) as well. The truly awe-inspiring engineering challenges of the great beyond often lead engineers working on space-based applications to turn to 3D printing technologies as the best (if not only) solution. Case in point: 3D Systems has just announced a collaboration with researchers at Penn State and Arizona State University on NASA-sponsored projects tackling thermal management.
Through a combination of 3D Systems’ applications expertise, direct metal printing (DMP) technology, and Oqton’s 3DXpert software, the researchers are developing new processes to build embedded, high-temperature passive heat pipes for titanium heat rejection radiators. According to 3D Systems, these 3D printed radiators are 50% lighter per area with increased operating temperatures compared to the current state-of-the-art.
In addition, the team at Penn State has also developed a process to 3D print functional parts using nickel titanium (aka nitinol) shape memory alloys (SMAs) that can be passively actuated and deployed when heated. The researchers believe a passive SMA radiator will have a deployed-to-stowed area ratio roughly six times larger than conventional satellite radiators, making them particularly useful for CubeSats.
The researchers designed the SMA radiator with an embedded integral porous network inside the walls of the heat pipes, then manufactured the radiators in a single piece from titanium and nitinol using DMP. According to 3D Systems, the titanium-water heat pipe radiator prototypes were successfully operated at temperatures of 230°C and weigh 50% less than conventional designs.
“Our long-standing R&D partnership with 3D Systems has enabled pioneering research for the use of 3D printing for aerospace applications,” said Alex Rattner, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Penn State, in a press release. “The collective expertise in both aerospace engineering and additive manufacturing is allowing us to explore advanced design strategies that are pushing the boundaries of what is considered state-of-the-art.”
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