Long March 5B came equipped at 18:00 on 5/5/20 with a new-generation maned spaceship test ship, and a flexible inflatable cargo cabin return cabin.
An “3D Printer” was installed at the time on the new-generation, humanoid spacecraft test boat. China is conducting the first space 3D-printing experiment. This also represents an international 3D print experiment for continuous fiber-reinforced, composite materials. How did it print the spaceship’s composite materials?
China developed a composite space 3D printing technology that could be carried onto the ship. These “3D printers” were installed by the researchers in the back cabin of the test boat. During the flight the “3D printer” independently performed continuous fiber enhancement sample printings of composite materials and validated scientific experiments regarding 3D printing composite materials under microgravity.
It is well known that continuously fiber-reinforced and composite materials are now the primary materials for spacecraft structures, both domestically and internationally. This research looks at 3D printing space-based composite materials. Development of space super large structures in orbit for manufacturing space stations is essential to long-term success.
They are currently used extensively in the construction of spacecraft structures abroad and at home. This research is vital for long-term space station operation and future development of high-volume spacecraft structures. .
Stereolithography 3D printer technology of Space Application Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences uses on-orbit manufacturing equipment to make metal/ceramic composite materials. It is precise down to microns.
Space 3D-printing research of China’s Space Application Center of Sciences. Reports indicate that the Long March 5B rocket placed China’s new-generation maneuverable spacecraft test ship in an orbit. This is a promising research area for China’s 3D printing technology. Space Application Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences developed “On orbit fine forming experimental device”. This will enable space manufacturers to increase their manufacturing accuracy. Stereolithography is challenged by space weightlessness. An ordinary printing paste won’t hold its form in space weightlessness. Additionally, wall climbing can lead to liquid level fluctuations. Over 100 tests conducted under microgravity, at home as well as abroad, the rheological and internal behavior of the Slurry were determined. It resists the deformation caused by weightless conditions.
In 2018, 3D printing was successfully tested in microgravity at the Key Laboratory of Space Manufacturing Technology of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The CAS Key Laboratory of Space Manufacturing Technology (SMT), is believed to have been established towards the end of 2017. The technology center is a scientific research unit that researches on “space-making technology”. In June 2018, scientists at the Key Laboratory of Space Manufacturing Technology of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Dubendorf in Switzerland successfully performed the first international stereolithography of clay materials in microgravity. They used European weightless aircraft for the Forming technology test, and cast technology test in microgravity.
Samples of light-cured 3D printed ceramic ceramic under microgravity
Space 3D printers: Their role and benefits Space 3D printers can be used to make manufacturing (or design files) for the Earth, and they are then sent by email to International Space Station. The process itself takes just a few days and is finished in about four hours. It is also worth the time and transportation savings that space 3D printing offers. Each part of the complex space station, spacecraft or base system is composed of multiple parts. It attempts to maintain reliability through construction, but it also faces issues such as system upgrades and parts damage. Prefabricated parts can significantly increase launch costs. To use 3D printing in space, it is necessary to only bring raw materials along with light-weight printers into space. The goal of this technology is to reduce the launch cost, increase efficiency and minimize weight. If humans have access to the resources they need on other planets in the future, then space-based “parts factories” will also be possible. Spacecraft can thus launch lighter and save more space.
FDM melt Extrusion is the technology used in space 3D printers on NASA International Space Station. Heat the nozzle until the polymer wire becomes liquid. It is then extruded through mechanical force. Layer by layer. NASA. NASA introduced the concept of space manufacturing in 2014 when it brought its first 3D printer to the International Space Station. 3D printing in space requires a completely different working environment to that found on Earth. It also presents technical difficulties. While 3D printing can still be done on the ground, which relies heavily upon gravity, it is possible to deposit the heat-extruded plastic, metal, or other material by using a 3D printer layer by layer. You will need to adjust the speed of the centrifuge to help the machine run smoother under zero gravity. While the original 3D-printing technology was developed on Earth, it’s easier to adapt this technology to Mars and the moon.
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