China3D printingNet July 12th, Australian cold spray 3D printer manufacturer SPEE3D announced plans to “completely change” the aerospace industry through low-cost metal 3D printed rocket engines.
The company has received AU$1.25 million from the Australian Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) “Space” translation stream grant and received AU$312,000 from the Northern Territory Government for its latest project, SPAC3D.
Through SPAC3D, SPEE3D will seek to use its cold spray technology to manufacture high-quality and cheap metal 3D printed rocket engines for Australia’s emerging industrial aerospace industry.
“SPEE3D has developed a new method for rapidly manufacturing rocket engines using our advanced manufacturing process,” said Steven Camilleri, SPEE3D’s Chief Technology Officer. “The MMI grant will enable us to work with other partners in Australia to manufacture and test flight-ready engines for the emerging industrial aerospace market.”
SPEE3D is turning its attention to 3D printed rocket engines. The photo is from SPEE3D.
According to reports, SPEE3D’s patented cold spray additive manufacturing technology can print metal parts 100 to 1000 times faster than traditional metal 3D printing methods. Presumably, this technology is also one of the only processes that can print metal parts on demand at a cost that is more competitive than traditional manufacturing.
Cold spraying does not rely on lasers or other heat-based energy sources, but uses kinetic energy to spray metal powder onto the substrate through high-speed compressed airflow. This provides enough energy for the material to deform and bond to the solid part below, forming an additional layer.
In February 2019, SPEE3D was selected by the Royal Australian Navy to participate in a two-year, A$1.5 million project to test its metal 3D printing technology to simplify the maintenance of naval patrol ships.
A year later, the company received another A$1.5 million defense project, which allowed 20 soldiers to receive training in the company’s cold spray technology. Once this proved to be successful, the soldiers tried to use their new knowledge in a three-day field trial of SPEE3D’s WarpSPEE3D 3D printer in the harsh environment of the Northern Territory of Australia.
WarpSPEE3D can be transported and unloaded under difficult conditions, and can run within 30 minutes, and found that it can print large metal parts weighing up to 40 kg at a speed of 100 grams per minute.
After the first field test was successful, the Australian Army used the upgraded printer to conduct a second set of field exercises. For more than two weeks, soldiers were able to 3D print end-use components at temperatures as high as 37 degrees Celsius, proving that this technology is a reliable solution for on-site production of military parts on demand.
The company recently announced that it won the Army Small and Medium Enterprise Innovation Award from the ADMA Foundation for its machine’s ability to improve the military supply chain through on-demand 3D printing.
SPEE3D has proven its technology in ground defense applications and is now turning its attention to the stars through its new SPAC3D project.
Australian Army Pike Corporal Sean Barton (right) and artisan Naythan Ryan, from the 1st Combat Service Support Battalion, are preparing for the operation of the WarpSPEE 3D printer. The photo is from the Australian Army.
3D printingLow cost rocket engine
SPEE3D has identified the US$1 billion aerospace component manufacturing industry as its next company, which will experience strong demand growth in the next few years. However, the long lead time for production-ready rocket engines is still a challenge for global organizations.
The company has demonstrated its cold spray technology to produce rocket engine components. The company’s WarpSPEE3D 3D printer produced a 17.9 kg copper rocket nozzle liner in just three hours at a cost of less than $1,000.Now, with the government’s support for its SPAC3D project, SPEE3D will seek to integrate its technology
SPEE3D’s SPAC3D project has been approved, and the company will proceed to conduct thermal tests and verify the practicality of its 3D printed rocket engines for commercial spacecraft.
SPEE3D 3D printed a copper rocket nozzle lining in just three hours. The photo is from SPEE3D.
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