Discover how 3D printing is poised to transform the industrial landscape, as NASA and innovative companies push the boundaries of additive manufacturing with groundbreaking projects like the successful hot-fire testing of an aluminum 3D-printed rocket engine nozzle.
Unlocking the Potential of Additive Manufacturing
NASA accomplished its first aluminum 3D-printed nozzle fire testing in fall 2023. Given how difficult aluminum is to 3D print—it tends to crack during the process, and as a metal with a low melting point that has inherent implications for using it in rocket engines—that’s quite an achievement.
But, you know what, we would have never had got this new future without the collaboration between NASA and Elementum 3D — a top additive manufacturing company. Elementum 3D of Erie, Colorado developed a new process known as Reactive Additive Manufacturing (RAM), in which metal alloys are mixed with particulates of other materials to change the material properties so they can be more easily extruded by a 3D printer.
This step-change has reaped rewards not only for the space industry but for an array of engineering fields, with applications ranging from microchip fabrication to components used in Formula 1 racing cars. The hot-fire test was the successful result of a partnership between NASA and Elementum 3D which started just after Elementum 3D was founded in late 2014, proving that cooperation combined with emerging technologies can do great things.
Bridging the Gap: NASA’s Collaboration with Industry
As NASA’s partner for this commercial innovation activity, Elementum 3D has played a key role in advancing the next industrial revolution even further. The agency licensed RAM for use, qualified a standard aluminum alloy made by the company’s technology for 3D printing, and then awarded Ramille Shah and her team funding to print the BROUGHTSWORD experimental rocket engine proving that their vision was coming to fruition.
Around the same time, a team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama was also evaluating how the new technology could scale to larger engines. Marshall issued an Announcement of Collaborative Opportunity to Elementum 3D in 2021, leading to a modification of aluminum alloy for printing for the Reactive Additive Manufacturing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution project.
In doing so, it not only pushed the space industry forward with its peers but also helped lay the foundation for a plethora of use-cases. The altered aluminum alloy is being used in big satellite parts and can be deployed in microchip manufacturing equipment, Formula 1 race car components, and even brake rotors and lighting fixtures.
The range of applications of these diverse examples speaks to the transformation that NASA’s investment in industry partnerships can bring about. The agency is helping to lead the next industrial revolution, as it fosters new innovations and manufacturing tools.
Conclusion
NASA and Elementum 3D Achieve First Successful Hot-Fire Testing of an Aluminum 3D Printed Rocket Engine Nozzle, A Major Step to the Next Industrial Revolution This collaboration has not only stimulated the limits of what is possible within the space industry but also opened so many doorways across an array of sectors from automotive to electronics. With the whole world realizing the power of additive manufacturing, indeed it promises a brighter future in terms of innovation, cost-reduction and sustainable growth.
