Saving Money with 3D Printing
Hot-Fire Tests Show 3-D Printed Rocket Parts Rival Traditionally Manufactured Parts, NASA
“What can survive blazing temperatures of almost 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit without melting? What did not break apart at extreme pressures? What is made by a new process that forms a complex part in just one piece? What takes less than three weeks to go from manufacturing to testing? What can reduce the costs of expensive rocket parts by 60 percent or more?
Answer: 3-D printed parts
Engineers know that 3-D printed rocket parts have the potential to save NASA and industry money and to open up new affordable design possibilities for rockets and spacecraft. But until recently, no one had tested rocket parts critical to engine combustion in a hot-fire environment.”
Marc’s note: I believe SpaceX has already tested 3D printed parts in a hot-fire. Nonetheless, the premise of saving money by using 3D printed parts is the focus of the story and is a cost-saving measure that will reduce the cost of flight.
This is great, but what incentive will cost-plus NASA contractors like ULA have to put it into practice?
Those in Congress who prefer to dictate what should be built and to slash funding for the commercial pay-for-performance program do nothing but raise the costs of launching for all of us.
They prefer stealing American blind in a cheap effort to buy votes by supporting corporations they protect from competition.
Who is holding them accountable?
ULA’s motivation to innovate and reduce costs (neither of which has ever happened since ULA formed) won’t appear until another company (most likely SpaceX at this point) is approved as an EELV provider and starts eating into ULA’s life support system, the USAF block buy program. Unitl that happens, they’ll remain a monopoly provider to the US government with no reason to operate more efficiently.
http://www.rocket.com/artic…
Looking forward to a SpaceX additive manufacturing press release, if indeed they have invested in this technology and tested it in an actual testfire as you claim.
I vaguely remember that story for SpaceX but I think it was a part that wasn’t exposed to extremes like the one in this instance.
Wow, looking at the part they used, that’s pretty impressive. Excellent! More 3D printing!
SpaceX tends to play its cards close to its vest. For example, it rarely files patents feeling that patents are just another way to expose propriatary information.
Musk’s argument against patenting SpaceX technology is about as simple as it gets, really. Since most of SpaceX’s competitors are foreign governments, the odds of patents being enforcible are low.
Tesla, on the other hand, has a very long list of patent applications, since their primary competitors are other US car companies.
Wonder when we will be able to start 3D printing NASA project managers