ESA Prints 3D Metal Shape In Space For First Time

The European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully 3D printed the first metal part aboard the International Space Station. This achievement marks a significant advancement in in-orbit manufacturing that could enable the production of essential spare parts and tools for future long-duration space missions. "The first metal shape was produced in August, and three more are planned as part of the experiment," notes The Register. "All four will eventually be returned to Earth for analysis -- two to ESA's technical center, ESTEC, in the Netherlands, one to the agency's astronaut training center in Cologne, and the last sample to the Technical University of Denmark." From the report: During a panel discussion following the UK premiere of Fortitude, a film about the emerging commercial space industry, Advenit Makaya, Advanced Manufacturing Engineer at ESA, remarked on the potential for recycling space debris in the process rather than having to rely on raw materials launched to the ISS. Rob Postema, ESA Project Manager for Metal 3D, told The Register that the agency was indeed looking at "circular" solutions in its drive for greater sustainability. However, don't hold your breath for putting bits of space garbage into one end and getting shiny metal parts out of the other: "A timeline is difficult to indicate, some early results are achieved with ground activities, ready to evaluate solutions in space."

The printer is overseen from the ground and operated for around four hours per day. The ground team has to check each layer via images and a scan of the surface area; printing a sample can take 10-25 days. However, Postema said: "Through automated control of the printing process as well as continuous operations, this can be substantially reduced." Knick-knacks from orbits are all well and good, but could something more substantial be produced? Yes, although not with this demonstrator, which can print to the outer dimensions of a soft drink can. Postema noted that while the demonstrator could manage smaller parts, either as a single unit or as part of larger structures, "there are definitely opportunities to create 3D shapes and parts with this technology larger than what we have done with this Technology Demonstrator."

protons

[wesolve4]

since everything is made of protons why don't we get the raw material from their poop and then use those protons to make other stuff

Re:

[flyingfsck]

Not exactly no, plus protons are very tiny. It is rather easier to work with metal powder.

Using spacedebris

[SuperDre]

Also being able to use spacedebris would be a great way to solve the trash problem. Cheap non-reusable rockets would put their load into orbit and then gets reused for printing new structures in space. Or better yet, the rocket with its raw material payload could be used as a whole. Ok, all way in the future.

That difficult a task?

[willy_me]

I would assume that one can replace gravity with centrifugal force - so why is printing is space that big of a deal? A big advantages of printing in space is that it is really easy to generate a vacuum. When using laser sintering, selective laser melting, or whatever the latest technique is, there are advantages when performed in a vacuum. No air current moving the powered metal in unexpected ways. And no reactions between metal and ambient gas thereby inducing weak spots.

Space also allows for one to increase the effective force of gravity (ie, rate of rotation) to help ensure no voids in the resulting prints. Increased gravitation force could also assist in separating the print from the adjacent powdered metal. Space sounds ideal for generating prints. Of course, it is space - where even theoretically trivial tasks become Herculean.

Except for a couple brief visits to the Moon...

[mmell]

Mankind's foray's into space have generally been in zero- or micro-gravity environments. We haven't got 2001 level technology, yet. Until we have gravity generators built into the deck plating, I suspect we'd be wise to test everything we might depend upon in space to make sure it can work in a zero gravity environment. We can build O'Neill cylinders later.

Re:

[TeknoHog]

I imagine that zero gravity could have certain benefits here. For example, think about those pens for freehand 3D printing. You can't just draw any shape in the air if you're limited by gravity.

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

Centrifugal force in space means spinning parts of the ship. The reason they don't spin the ISS is that it was decided that the vibrations and control issues were too great to overcome.

Plus it's not like gravity anyway. The ship is a small fraction of the size of the Earth, so the constantly varying vector of acceleration is a real issue.

Knick-knacks

[nospam007]

"Knick-knacks from orbits are all well and good, but could something more substantial be produced? "

Replacement parts for a shitty Boeing space-craft?