Here at 3D Rapid Print, one of the fastest growing 3D Printing companies in the Thames Valley, we like to keep abreast of the latest innovations in 3D printing.
On May 31st 2022, multinational aerospace corporation Airbus announced that it planned to send the International Space Station (ISS) its first metal 3D printer as early as next year. Named Metal3D, it can print at temperatures of 1,200°C and was developed by Airbus for the European Space Agency. Airbus claimed that future versions of the printer could use materials like moondust or recycled parts from decommissioned satellites. It hopes that 3D printers will be used on the moon as early as the end of this decade, enabling a sustainable human presence there by 3D printing structures for lunar rovers or habitats.
In addition, Airbus hopes to be able to manufacture entire satellites in space within the next 4 years; it argued that production in space is more sustainable, as fewer rocket launches would be needed and the material for production would be sourceable from space debris. It boasted that it had already developed a robotic arm for satellite manufacturing that can also be used to repair spacecraft. Airbus also contended that its experts had created algorithms to enable the robotic arms to work together and even build each other.
Another example of 3D printing going out of this world involves KULR Technology (KULR) of San Diego, California. (KULR is a self-described “develops, manufactures and licenses next-generation carbon fiber thermal management technologies for batteries and electronic systems” company.) In August 2020, KULR announced that it had been hired by NASA to help NASA develop 3D printed battery systems for what KULR described as “manned and robotic space applications.” This followed NASA using KULR’s technology in storage bags to experiment with protecting laptop batteries stored on the ISS circa September 2019.
3D printing is an amazing tool. It can grow your small business or start a mini revolution in an industry. Explore what it can do for you when you contact us today.
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