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 July 27th 2022, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced that a group of its researchers had created what MIT described as “the first completely digitally manufactured plasma sensors for orbiting spacecraft.” First used in a space mission in 1959, this sort of sensor is used by satellites to determine the chemical composition and ion energy distribution of the Earth’s atmosphere, helping predict the weather and monitor climate change. The team’s research was published in the journal Additive Manufacturing.
The researchers used a 3D printable, glass-ceramic material called Vitrolite, which is more durable than traditional sensor materials like silicon and thin-film coatings. Pioneered in the early 1900s, it was often used in colourful tiles that became a common sight in art deco buildings. In addition, it can withstand temperatures of up to 800°C, whereas polymers used in semiconductor sensors start to melt at half this. By using it in vat polymerisation, the team were able to create sensors that could withstand the temperature fluctuations a spacecraft would encounter in lower Earth orbit. (Vat polymerisation is usually used for 3D printing with polymers and resins.)
MIT boasted that its hardware performed as well as semiconductor plasma sensors made in a cleanroom, contending that this makes them require weeks to produce at significant expense. In contrast, MIT claimed that its 3D printed sensors could be manufactured for tens of US dollars a time in a matter of days, making them ideal for inexpensive, low-power and lightweight satellites called CubeSats, which are often used for communication and environmental monitoring in Earth’s upper atmosphere. For further work, MIT hopes to experiment with using artificial intelligence to optimise the sensors’ design for specific use cases and upgrade the fabrication process, for example by reducing the 3D printed layer thickness to increase the sensors’ precision.
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.
Disclaimer: NASA does not endorse 3D Rapid Print’s existence, actions and/or use of the featured image of “Concept artwork of the ATS-3 satellite (G-66-3652).” NASA copyright policy states: “As a government entity, NASA does not license the use of NASA materials nor sign licensing agreements. The agency generally has no objection to the reproduction and use of materials it has made available to the public (audio transmissions and recordings; video transmissions and recording; or still and motion picture photography),” subject to restrictions that can be read here. 3D Rapid Print does not claim copyright or other rights to the image.
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