China3D printingNet February 19, aerospace manufacturer Airbus has provided Eutelsat’s Eurostar Neo series of relay satellites3D printingThere are a total of 500 components.
By additively manufacturing radio frequency (RF) parts including multi-waveguide modules and switch assembly networks, Airbus is able to reduce delivery time and assembly costs. Once installed on Eutelsat’s Hotbird 13F and 13G satellites, these parts will effectively enhance the company’s broadcast services in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Airbus Hotbird Payload Manager Gareth Penlington said: “This is considered the first large-scale deployment of RF products using the ALM (Additional Layer Manufacturing) process. This puts us in an industry leading position in terms of technology applications in the production of RF components.”
Airbus printed a total of 500 parts for Eutelsat’s two Nero satellites (pictured). The picture comes from Airbus.
Aerospace expertise of Airbus
Over the past five years, Airbus has used3D printingTechnology designs and manufactures prototype parts and end-use parts, and deploys them to different areas of their business. For example, the company has been using the technology to enhance its core aviation department,3D printingA350 components and improvement of its aircraft maintenance plan.
In order to further apply additives in end-use scenarios, Airbus is also engaged in aerospace research and development. In cooperation with software developer Sigma Labs, the company has verified that metal PBF printing can be used for mass production in aerospace, and recently, it has collaborated with Satair to create what it calls “the first certified metal printing flight spare part.”
Elsewhere, Airbus has set its sights on higher, orbiting satellite applications for its technology.For example, by and3D printingIn cooperation with the machine manufacturer 3D Systems, the company has previously manufactured a redesigned RF filter for the relay antenna, thereby improving its surface topology while reducing its weight and cost.
Airbus XWB A350-1000 aircraft,
Airbus is widely used in its aviation business and new aerospace applications3D printing.Photo by Airbus S. Ramadier
3D printingEurostar Neo by Eutelsat
Airbus previously manufactured parts for Eutelsat’s antennas, and in 2017 for the company’s 172B satellite3D printingComponents, but its latest item deserves attention, because it is now in mass production. As part of this plan, from conceptual design to final appraisal, Airbus’ base in Portsmouth will manufacture a total of 500 waveguides and assembly networks.
Once signed, these components will be installed on Eutelsat’s two “Hot Bird” spacecraft and launched into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to support the company’s communications services. The company claims that its satellites have “improved efficiency and performance” compared to other platforms, and its “load-centric design” effectively improves mission capabilities.
Airbus has completed the first batch of the project3D printingParts and transported them to the defense and space plant in Toulouse, France for assembly. Meanwhile, in Portsmouth, the company is still building a second Hotbird communication module, which is expected to be tested later this month.
stratosphere3D printingComponents
use3D printingCreating optimized satellite parts has become an increasingly common application of this technology, and several companies have done so in the last few months alone.
Solid metal3D printingExpert Fabrisonic has deployed its proprietary UAM technology to create more efficient heat exchangers for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The upgraded equipment is designed to better regulate the temperature of satellites operating in cold space.
3D printingService provider 3DCeram also helped the French Space Agency (CNES) spin-off Anywaves to produce ceramic antennas for its small satellites. 3DCeram effectively provided consultation on part design and feasibility, and Anywaves is now considering whether to continue mass production.
Elsewhere, scientists from the Skoltech Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) collaborated with materials supplier RUSAL to produce for the Yarilo satellite3D printingshell. The two organizations jointly developed a novel aluminum and used it to create optimized parts for weather monitoring cubes.
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