Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




STATION NEWS
Europe's 3D printer set for ISS
by Staff Writers
Paris (ESA) Nov 14, 2014


Funded by the Italian space agency ASI, the POP3D (Portable On-Board Printer) for 3D printing will reach orbit in 2015 as part of ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti's Futura mission. The compact, cube-shaped printer measures 25 cm per side and weighs 5.5 kg in Earth gravity. It prints in biodegradable and harmless PLA plastic, using a heat-based process called 'fused deposition modelling'. POP3D should take about half an hour to produce a single plastic part, which will subsequently be returned to the ground for detailed testing, including comparison to an otherwise identical part printed on the ground. The Italian Institute of Technology will assist with post-flight examinations. Image courtesy Altran.

Europe's very first 3D printer in space is scheduled for installation aboard the ISS next year. Designed and built in Italy, it will be put to the test as part as ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti's Futura mission, and is set to reach orbit in the first half of next year. Samantha herself will be launched on her six-month Station assignment on 23 November.

"The POP3D Portable On-Board Printer is a small 3D printer that requires very limited power and crew involvement to operate," explained Luca Enrietti of Altran, prime contractor for the compact printer.

The unit is a cube with 25 cm sides and prints with biodegradable and harmless plastic using a heat-based process.

"Part of the challenge of designing a 3D printer for the Station was to ensure its operation does not affect the crew environment," added Giorgio Musso of Thales Alenia Space Italy, principal investigator for the project.

Funded by Italy's ASI space agency, POP3D should take about half an hour to produce a single plastic part, which will eventually be returned to Earth for detailed testing, including comparison with an otherwise identical part printed on the ground.

The project was presented during a workshop on 3D printing for space held at ESA's technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

More than 350 experts from across Europe came together to discuss the potential of 3D printing for space, both in orbit and in ground manufacturing.

"There is big potential all along the value chain, to save cost and mass," noted Reinhard Schlitt, heading OHB's Engineering Services.

"But right now the way parts are being produced in various different ways. As a satellite manufacturer, we need common standards in place so we can compare competing supplier parts on a like-for-like basis.

"Europe does have a lead in this technology - the latest laser machines are coming from here for export to the US and China - so we should build on that."

Thales Alenia Space is taking a keen interest in terms of manufacturing, confirmed Florence Montredon, heading the company's components group: "We're looking in particular at applying it to complex secondary structures for satellites. This includes the design phase, where software places material as needed to help cut mass."

Steffen Beyer, Head of Materials and Process Technology at Airbus Defence and Space added: "it is very promising for reducing costs particularly for complex structures and reducing lead time significantly.

In the case of a complex injector of a rocket engine, we are able to take the total number of parts needed down from around 250 down to one or two; that represents a revolution in design and manufacturing."

Wolfgang Veith, Head of ESA's Product Assurance and Safety Department, concurred: "To move 3D printing from prototype research to something else we need robust, reliable and repeatable products, whose design margins can be fully verified."

He explained that the advantages include a 40-90% decrease in materials compared to standard 'subtractive' manufacturing, far-reduced lead times, less complex assemblies and interfaces, and greater environmental friendliness.

Wolfgang added that next year ESA would take the lead in working with all the main European players to map out common development plans for 3D printing for space use.

This workshop marked a major milestone in that process, commented Tommaso Ghidini, Head of the Materials Technology Section in ESA, in charge of harmonising 3D printing technology for space: "Previously, we have had various efforts mushrooming up in different parts of Europe. Now we have a community of people talking together, thinking together and headed in a common direction."


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
ESA Space Engineering
Station at NASA
Station and More at Roscosmos
S.P. Korolev RSC Energia
Watch NASA TV via Space.TV
Space Station News at Space-Travel.Com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








STATION NEWS
Astronaut turned Twitter star, Reid Wiseman, back on Earth
Astana, Kazakhstan (UPI) Nov 10, 2014
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman returned to Earth Sunday night after nearly six months aboard the International Space Station. He and his Expedition 41 companions, Russian Maxim Suraev and German Alexander Gerst, touched down safely in Kazakhstan at 10:58 p.m. EST (Monday morning in Kazakhstan). The descent of their Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft was slowed by a series of parachutes, enabling (wi ... read more


STATION NEWS
After Mars, India space chief aims for the moon

China examines the three stages of lunar test run

China gears up for lunar mission after round-trip success

NASA's LRO Spacecraft Captures Images of LADEE's Impact Crater

STATION NEWS
Warmth and flowing water on early Mars were episodic

Next NASA Mars Mission Reaches Milestone

Mars, too, has macroweather

Comet lander 'working well', but may be on slope

STATION NEWS
Tencent looks to the final travel frontier

ESA Commissions Airbus As contractor For Orion Service Module

Study Investigates How Men and Women Adapt Differently to Spaceflight

S3 concludes first phase of drop-tests

STATION NEWS
China publishes Earth, Moon photos taken by lunar orbiter

China plans to launch about 120 applied satellites

Mars probe to debut at upcoming air show

China to build global quantum communication network in 2030

STATION NEWS
Europe's 3D printer set for ISS

NASA Commercial Crew Partners Continue System Advancements

Astronaut turned Twitter star, Reid Wiseman, back on Earth

Three-man multinational space crew returns to Earth

STATION NEWS
Time-lapse video shows Orion's move to Cape Canaveral launch pad

Soyuz Installed at Baikonur, Expected to Launch Wednesday

SpaceX chief Musk confirms Internet satellite plan

Orbital recommits to NASA Commercial program and Antares

STATION NEWS
Follow the Dust to Find Planets

NASA's TESS mission cleared for next development phase

ADS primes ESA's CHEOPS to detect and classify exoplanets

NASA's TESS Mission Cleared for Next Development Phase

STATION NEWS
Shaking the topological cocktail of success

Drexel Engineers Improve Strength, Flexibility of Atom-Thick Films

Creating Bright X-Ray Pulses in the Laser Lab

New Process Isolates Promising Material




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.