Microgravity 3d printing

Deep Dive into 3D Printing in Microgravity for Future Space Exploration - 3DPrint.com

The extraordinary advantages of a weightless laboratory have fascinated scientists for decades. That’s because observing phenomena and processes in microgravity conditions can help prepare the field for deep-space human explorations and provide knowledge to improve the quality of life on Earth. Microgravity offers an ideal environment to explore the basics of many types of scientific research and can hold the key to unlocking the full potential of 3D printing. Without the distortion experienced on Earth, investigators can gain insight into the inner workings of physical and biological systems, leading to the advancement of additive manufacturing (AM) technology in orbit.

For years, researchers have performed studies in microgravity. Before the National Space Laboratory of the International Space Station (ISS) became a platform for research in orbit, space agencies relied solely on other means. These included drop towers, suborbital space flights, artificial microgravity simulators, and, particularly, on parabolic flights on Earth that can be tuned to allow for zero gravity or reduced gravity levels like those found on the surface of the Moon or Mars. Many of these innovative and viable options have been around since the 1950s, but are only limited to short continuous spans of microgravity that can only last seconds.

The International Space Station. Image courtesy of ESA.

The only permanently occupied microgravity laboratory aboard the ISS has allowed researchers and space crew to carry out hundreds of hours of experiments, proving theories and revealing previously unexplained phenomena. The have even taken the first steps toward realizing the requirements for an on-demand, microgravity 3D printing station off Earth.

The ISS provides a valuable starting point to propel the potential of 3D printing technology for space. According to ISS Chief Scientist Kirt Costello, “in space, you don’t have buoyancy-driven convection. Hot things don’t rise over colder things, so, a lot of times, that can lead to discoveries when you’re doing material science, especially involved around melting or processing of materials. So, there have been advances where people look at new materials in space and how to form stronger and more advantageous materials using microgravity as one of the factors.”

With extremely limited availability of Earth-based logistics support, 3D printing capabilities could become one of the most important technologies in space. Spaceflight missions today require the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to send up more than 7,000 pounds of spare parts to the ISS every year. While another 29,000 pounds of spaceflight hardware spares are stored aboard the station and 39,000 await on the ground, ready to fly if needed.

This logistics system might work well for a spacecraft that is orbiting 250 miles above Earth, but for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, this is simply not viable. It takes about three days for a spacecraft to reach the Moon and, at a cost of $10,000 per pound, any Moon colony would become a very expensive undertaking very quickly. Space crew will need to make their own spare parts, tools, and materials. Therefore, enabling on-demand manufacturing with common raw materials is essential, with some researchers exploring the use of a variety of recycled, onboard waste material as feedstock.

Up until now, the space station has received several 3D printing experiments and 3D printing system platforms. In the fall of 2014, NASA and Made In Space (MIS) executed the first demonstration of on-orbit manufacturing using a fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer as part of the 3D Printing in Zero-G Technology Demonstration Mission. Once installed in the ISS’ Microgravity Science Glovebox – a sealed facility for investigations – the printer was set to work immediately, even churning out the very first wrench 3D printed on the ISS by Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore.

The primary objective of the mission was to prove critical operational functions of the printer, as well as evaluate the impact of microgravity on material outcomes with the FFF process by manufacturing mechanical property test articles and functional tools, and, finally, to demonstrate remote commanding. According to NASA’s analysis, after a four-year comparative research experiment in which the space agency fabricated tools and other objects both onboard the ISS and in simulated microgravity using 3D printers on Earth, all objects performed equally well. In fact, in the published study, the researchers noted no significant microgravity effects on material outcomes in the physics-based model of the FFF process.

The 3D printing mission successfully demonstrated the first step toward manufacturing in space. However, MIS kept advancing its vision of off-Earth manufacturing by launching another commercial printing facility. This time, the company’s Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF) reached orbit in March 2016 and has already additively manufactured more than 100 individual parts for a variety of commercial and private customers, utilizing three different polymers: ABS plastic, green polyethylene bioplastic, and space-capable plastic PEI/PC.

A 3D printed multi-tool, designed by students in the Future Engineers program, floats in front of the Additive Manufacturing Facility on the International Space Station. Image courtesy of NASA

Leveraging 3D printing for space developments is the ultimate use for the technology. On Earth, AM competes with older, more established manufacturing platforms. In space, 3D printing can become the first, most reliable, and cost-effective production platform in an entirely new commercial dimension. 3D printing in space is an enabling technology that is crucial to human exploration beyond the low Earth orbit (LEO) environment. With some modification to the key systems, MIS was able to demonstrate that AM with extrusion-based machines functions similarly in microgravity as it does on the ground, allowing for a full proof of concept.

Nonetheless, based on MIS’s experience, using polymer feedstocks for in-orbit AM does not show substantial differences in the end product versus terrestrial production. While this is good to predict what can be produced in orbit, scientists consider that the lack of structural differences using polymer feedstocks may also limit the potential for material performance advantages for in-space AM.

Alternatively, this is not the case for metals. Metal AM in microgravity changes product microstructure and porosity. An expert panel discussing the advantages and limitations of in-space manufacturing during the 2020 virtual Additive Manufacturing in Space Workshop, organized by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) – manager of the ISS U.S. National Laboratory – determined that, in microgravity, the lack of convection-driven mixing in the melt pool impacts elemental mixing/homogeneity of composition during deposition, as well as cooling rates. Therefore, studies should consider metal-wire (such as for directed energy deposition) or polymer-filament systems, along with “mixed-media” products, such as fiber-reinforced plastics or metal-wire-reinforced ceramics.

“If we want to establish a sustainable presence off Earth, we need to come up with new materials or we need to adapt the old materials to be used and reduced in a microgravity environment, with special attention paid to the environment,” explained NASA Project Manager Jennifer Edmunson. “So, if we want something that survives on the lunar surface, it has to be prepared to deal with the thermoswings, radiation, micrometeor impact and electrostatically charged lunar surface. If the new materials can survive in the lunar environment, they most likely will be able to thrive pretty well on Earth.”

Experts believe that novel approaches to in-space production are necessary where terrestrial systems do not readily translate to microgravity conditions. Opening up new options for feedstocks, including soft materials like elastomers, foams, and rubbers; low-viscosity inks; new polymer options like longer cure time thermosets, filled polymer systems, continuous fiber reinforcement, and semi-crystalline polymers. Moreover, there is a need to study how in-situ materials will translate into suitable AM feedstocks, especially for in-situ resource utilization in other planetary bodies, where space crews can expect to find regolith-type materials that could have the potential to become 3D printing materials.

The US Lab aboard the International Space Station. Image courtesy of NASA

Although the ISS National Lab is an ideal environment to explore the possibilities of 3D printing in microgravity, there are still many unanswered questions. Up until now, collaborative and innovative approaches between space agencies and private companies have been enabling AM to thrive in space. As human habitation initiatives expand, primarily aiming at exploring more of the lunar surface than ever before, this unique orbiting laboratory will be essential to understand how humans can live sustainably in orbit for long periods of time.

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Tagged with: 3D printed space colonization • 3d printing in space • microgravity • Microgravity 3D printing • microgravity additive manufacturing • Microgravity Science Glovebox • nasa

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ESA's New Microgravity 3D Printer Could Revolutionize Space Manufacturing - 3DPrint.com

A ground-based prototype for a new microgravity 3D printer is now complete and awaits deployment to the International Space Station (ISS) for testing. Capable of 3D printing parts much larger than itself, the new machine dubbed IMPERIAL overcomes one of the main constraints of current off-Earth 3D printers, limited build volume.

Up until now, we have been amazed by a handful of additive manufacturing (AM) systems that have successfully built components in orbit, such as Made In Space (now part of Redwire)’s Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF), which became operational in space in 2016, or Tethers Unlimited Refabricator 3D printer onboard the ISS. Now the European Space Agency (ESA) announced that its highly anticipated IMPERIAL 3D printer model is finalized. Once at the ISS, the 3D printed parts could demonstrate extraterrestrial manufacturing potential, enabling new maintenance and life support strategies for human space flight.

Built to operate in weightlessness––meaning it can work upside down on Earth––the printer is capable of creating high-performance polymer parts of unlimited dimensions along a single direction and with mechanical and thermal properties like PEEK. Moreover, according to the technical characteristics of the machine, it can develop large parts with minimal waste that are ready to use directly after their removal from the 3D printer, as post-processing would imply the presence of additional dedicated facilities.

The project was undertaken for ESA by a consortium led by German space technology firm OHB SE, with Berlin-based space engineering company Azimut Space; the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland, and Portuguese 3D printer manufacturers BEEVERYCREATIVE. Now that the ground-based prototype is complete, the next step would be to test it in orbit aboard the ISS.

Commenting on the development, OHB SE Project Manager Antonella Sgambati noted that “fused filament fabrication with high-performance polymers has been already demonstrated to be unimpacted by a reduced gravity environment, paving the way for new challenges such as the possibility to print unlimited parts in one direction or else exploit batch production. In the frame of the project, new technological gaps have been identified and covered by development and prototyping testing at BEEVERYCREATIVE which led to this unique achievement, bringing out-of-Earth manufacturing one step closer.”

ESA engineer 3D prints a pillar that is longer than the 3D printer’s size. Image courtesy of ESA.

One of the biggest accomplishments of the team behind IMPERIAL is that it can print under microgravity conditions with a quality comparable to printing under nominal circumstances. Moreover, the developers designed the 3D printer to fit the available upload configurations and corresponding loads. Taking into account the environmental, interface and operations, and safety requirements of the ISS, the technology was selected based on the resources available onboard the ISS. And since the station is permanently occupied by a crew of at least seven people, IMPERIAL said the machine guarantees their general health and safety.

This is not the first time ESA and this same international consortium have worked together. Back in 2018, the team presented MELT, short for Manufacturing of Experimental Layer Technology, a fully functional 3D printer prototype able to work under the ISS’s microgravity conditions and 3D print with engineering polymers with high-end mechanical and thermal properties. Project MELT was successfully delivered to the ISS in 2018 as a fully functional microgravity 3D printer prototype.

ESA’s MELT project printer for off-Earth 3D printing. Image courtesy of ESA.

Much like its predecessor, the IMPERIAL project found the team working once again to supply off-world crews with a fully functioning 3D printer model that uses engineering thermoplastics, but this time, it has the added advantage of alleviating build volume constraints. Structurally the two 3D printers are similar, but IMPERIAL goes one step further by releasing the 3D printed part as it is printed, and that advantage will make a huge difference to future space explorers that will require machines to churn out spare parts or tools that might exceed the size of the printer.

Once operational, IMPERIAL could contribute to increasing the autonomy and sustainability of future long-duration space missions. Or as BEEVERYCREATIVE’s Chief Technology Officer Mario Angelo pointed out “this new project is a validation of our ability to develop technology in an area [aerospace] which will certainly have a great impact on our future lives. ”

IMPERIAL 3D printer churns out parts. Image courtesy of BEEVERYCREATIVE.

Even though the platform will travel 248 miles for testing aboard the station, the technology itself and the knowledge gained from the IMPERIAL project could be leveraged to develop new, industry-oriented 3D printers for product development needs right here on Earth. In fact, facilitating the commercialization of space technology in non-space markets is quite common. NASA for example has turned plenty of space ideas into Earth-bound products. As promising space technologies continue to emerge, advanced products will trickle down into many other non-related industries that will benefit from time and cost reductions in manufacturing processes.

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Tagged with: 3D printing in microgravity • Athlone Institute of Technology • Azimut Space • BeeVeryCreative • ESA • esa 3d printing • high performance polymers • IMPERIAL printer • international space station • MELT • microgravity • OHB Systems • polymer 3D printing • space 3d printing

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Stamped into space: Russian 3D printer will be tested for the first time on the ISS | Articles

The research program on the Russian Segment of the ISS includes tests of a 3D printer designed to operate in microgravity conditions. It will go into orbit in June this year. The main objective of the experiment is to learn how to print products with predictable characteristics, Roscosmos told Izvestia. Experts believe that at the current stage of technology development, such a device will help in the repair of household items and appliances on the ISS, but the polymer will not withstand the conditions of open space. In the future, the use of 3D printing can significantly accelerate the exploration of extraterrestrial space, simplify the organization of expeditions to the Moon and Mars, and even their colonization.

The program of scientific and applied research and experiments on the Russian segment of the ISS included the development of technologies for additive manufacturing of products in space. Simply put, this is printing from polymer materials using a 3D printer in zero gravity. The experiment will show how close we are to solving the problem of the operational supply of orbital stations and bases with spare parts, Roscosmos told Izvestia.

Now all the equipment used in space is delivered from Earth. This imposes serious restrictions on the weight and dimensions of the cargo, and besides, you have to take into account the delivery time - some flights have to wait weeks or even months. Therefore, one of the most important tasks arising in space exploration is the optimization of cargo traffic.

The ability to quickly, on the spot, produce the necessary tools, parts would be extremely useful when working on the Earth's orbit, and even more so during expeditions to the Moon and Mars.

But before you send a 3D printer on expeditions to distant planets, you need to learn how to print products with predictable characteristics in zero gravity. After the experiment, the samples made on board the ISS will be compared with similar samples created on Earth. So the researchers will find out the influence of microgravity on the 3D printing process and the characteristics of the created objects.

“In microgravity, the substance used for 3D printing begins to behave completely differently than on Earth,” Alexander Bloshenko, executive director of Roscosmos for advanced programs and science, explained to Izvestia. - In particular, a powder that could be melted and baked in a certain way cannot be used. Therefore, the task of the experiment is to work out the conditions in which you will have to work, and "adapt" to weightlessness in the conditions of the ISS.

Space cabinet

Printer developed at the National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU). It is similar in size to a bedside table. Weight - no more than 30 kg. The principle of its operation is the same as that of devices for terrestrial conditions - the technology of layer-by-layer imposition of a molten polymer thread is used. But the need to adapt it to work in zero gravity has made adjustments to the design and a number of printer elements, TPU noted.

- The entire design of the 3D printer is block-modular, all its components are located in a single housing. This is important for safety reasons and operating conditions of the station,” said Vasily Fedorov, head of the research and production laboratory “Modern production technologies” of TPU.

There are other features. Hot air on Earth is lighter than cold air, it goes up, and cold air comes in its place. But in zero gravity there are other convection conditions. Therefore, heat transfer in the printer will work in a completely different way. The influence of radiation is also taken into account.

- We are creating a printer so that it can work in the conditions of the ISS, that is, with continuous exposure to flows of heavy charged particles, - said Vasily Fedorov. — Doing so may cause the printer's electronic components to malfunction. Therefore, its design includes microcircuits that are resistant to radiation, and algorithms are used to correct errors in actuators.

The set of scientific equipment includes the 3D printer itself, a hermetically sealed complex with a system for filtering gases generated during the printing process, an embedded computer to control the process, and consumables.

TPU has already made a working layout and prototype equipment. He successfully passed all tests. Now in the stage of adjustment are flight samples of scientific equipment, which will go into space.

Roskosmos believes that in the future 3D printing technology in zero gravity will simplify the implementation of long-distance and long-term expeditions. Apparatus and the necessary parts can be made right in space, without worrying about where to get them and how to repair broken ones. The results of the experiment on the ISS are planned to be used to develop technical requirements for the equipment of advanced industrial complexes, both orbital and planet-based.

Izvestia asked the experts to assess the potential of the experiment and the 3D printing technology itself in space.

- Classical additive technologies (layer-by-layer building up and synthesis of objects. - Izvestia) are good on Earth. Each layer of material shrinks slightly following it with the help of gravity. In zero gravity conditions, there is no such help, so the requirements for materials and printer operation parameters change. For example, the material must solidify rather quickly so as not to rise and scatter in the apparatus. The print speed should be much faster. Therefore, colleagues have to overcome certain difficulties,” explained Yousef Khesuani, co-founder and managing partner of 3D Bioprinting Solutions.

The expert also noted the need for post-processing of samples. Otherwise, tiny particles of material that need to be disposed of for safety reasons will simply scatter around the station.

— The very idea of ​​the experiment is very interesting, and it will be useful to conduct it, — says Nikolai Kozlov, Professor of the Department of Technology of Composite Materials, Structures and Microsystems at MAI. “In my opinion, with the help of such a printer it will be convenient to create a variety of components and parts from polymers that can fail on board the station during operation or will be required during a long flight. This is convenient because the printer is easy to set up to create an object of any shape.

As for the materials used overboard, the current polymer materials widely used for 3D printing do not have sufficient resistance to space factors for this, experts say.

To assess the prospects for using 3D printers in space, we need to understand where we can get consumables. The economic feasibility of using the technology directly depends on this.

- The polymers themselves, which can be used as a material for a 3D printer, we are unlikely to find on other planets, - said Nikolai Kozlov. - These are synthetic materials, so you will have to carry all of them with you.

Theoretically, when creating planetary bases, the use of local resources, for the Moon - regolith, can reduce the cost of printing, Nikolai Kozlov noted.

- There are ideas about using solar energy to melt regolith - lunar soil, but such technologies are highly energy intensive and require large investments. However, it should be borne in mind that progress does not stand still, materials and technologies for their processing are intensively developing. Perhaps tomorrow, 3D printing technologies will be able to solve the problems of building residential complexes on the Moon and other planets. Therefore, the creation of such a printer for forming parts from polymers in zero gravity on board the ISS is a step in the right direction, the expert believes.

The Progress MS-20 transport cargo ship, which will launch on June 3, 2022, will deliver the test equipment to the MSC. It will be located in the new Russian Science module. The plans are to conduct 20 “sessions” of the experiment during the year. At the first stage of work, the ISS-67 crew commander Oleg Artemiev and his colleagues, flight engineers Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov, will perform the work. The first printed test samples are planned to be returned to Earth on September 29, 2022, along with the crew.

3D printing in space is tricky

One day in the future, humanity might jump on a spaceship and travel into space. But due to the fact that supply from the ground is expensive and takes a lot of time, we will need to learn how to form our own reserves in space. What do we need for this? Answer: 3D printer.

In September 2014, NASA engineers working on the Zero Gravity 3D Printing project sent a 3D printer to the International Space Station as part of the fourth SpaceX mission. The goal was to demonstrate that a 3D printer could work in microgravity. The proof came when photos of astronaut Barry Wilmore proudly clutching a 3D-printed wrench sent visitors to Reddit's space page going wild.

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The purpose of the experiment is to test how the microgravity environment of the International Space Station affects the manufacturing process of a 3D printer. It is also a kind of test of the idea of ​​an internal space workshop, in which space production will become possible. This will be important for solid space missions, as astronauts won't have to wait for supplies to arrive from Earth.

21 3D printed parts arrived on Earth earlier this month. So what has the team already learned? What are the challenges facing 3D printing in space? And what facilities will the astronauts need? To find out more, I spoke with the Principal 3D Printing Researcher at the Zero Gravity Project, Quincy Bean.

Unpacking parts printed in 3 D in space (from left to right Quincy Bean, Corky Clinton, Rick Ryan). Photo: NASA/MSFC/Emmett Given

Motherboard : You are the main researcher in the field 3 Seal in the project “Zero gravity 9000 9000” Marshall Flight (NASA). What is your work?