Engineers at theUniversity of SydneyandUniversity of Science and Technology of Chinahave designed a 3D printer capable of processing PEEK at high temperatures under simulated space conditions.
According to the team, using FDM 3D printing, it’s possible to produce PEEK satellite spares in-orbit, but the lack of heat transfer that occurs in space would cause current systems to overheat. To overcome this, the researchers have developed a novel 3D printer with Proportional Integral (PI) controllers capable of operating at up to 400°C in a vacuum, potentially making it ideal for future orbital repair missions.
A satellite servicing conundrum?
在过去的七十年中，地球轨道上的卫星数量已经飙升，现在据说有2500多个卫星跨越了我们星球的气氛。对于这些对Terra Firma的沟通和导航而言，它们对于指导太空任务也至关重要，因此它们的失败有可能在沿途进行此类操作，并创建轨道车辆可能会受到损坏的碎屑。
从理论上讲，可以通过“轨道制造”为其服务，以防止卫星故障发生。查看这种方法比将装有维修装备的火箭挤入轨道的火箭弹成较低的成本，例如Northrop GrummanandDARPAare now working on missions, in which their respective ‘Mission Extension Vehicles’ and ‘Mission Robotic Vehicles’ are set to conduct orbital trials.
However, the China and Australia-based researchers say the cost of on-orbit manufacturing is still expected to soar to $6.2 billion by 2030. To help aerospace firms reduce their expenditure in this area, the team has therefore highlighted the success of 3D printing experiments onboard the ISS, and suggested that the technology could be deployed in outer space, as well as on manned spacecraft.
特别是,工程师认为that FDM machines could be ideal for carrying out orbital repairs, due to their lack of lasers, reliance on easily-storable filaments and compatibility with robust materials such as PEEK. Yet, despite their optimism around the technology, the team acknowledge that current systems would be vulnerable to material congestion in space, due to excessively-melted filament.
Printing in the vacuum of space
为了使轨道3D打印更加可行，研究人员着手开发具有升级的热控制单元的3D打印系统，该系统可以降落在卫星上，然后使用机器人臂代替损坏的零件。除了这些武器及其起落架外，该团队的第一个原型主要基于标准的FDM架构，并配有热棒，块，水槽，皮带，挤出机和散热器。
为了在建造机器的潜力之前评估其潜力，该团队选择进行许多窥视印刷模拟。有趣的是，结果表明，增加设备的散热器和散热器之间的热带量使其可以更有效地控制其中央管的温度，同时防止材料进料过程中融化的灯丝回流。
通过模拟，工程师还发现，减少重力的打印会导致材料将自身固定在系统的内管上，从而增加摩擦并可能产生挤压阻塞。为了解决这个问题，团队对本节进行了迭代修改，然后提出了提高其热传导效率的设计，并在高达400°C的热量下运行。
Finally, once they’d collated all their data, the researchers devised a mathematical model, which demonstrated the benefits that the introduction of a ‘fuzzy PI control module’ would bring to their system. Essentially acting as a failsafe, the device is designed to kick in at temperatures of 380°C, enhancing the precision of its thermal control features, but also preventing overheating and risking repair errors.
Having wrapped up their evaluations, the engineers are now building a working prototype, which they intend to test in a physical vacuum chamber. In future, if their printer were to find end-use applications, the team believe it could help “reduce the cost and time of space exploration” by conducting repairs “without the need for additional launches.”
Am雄心勃勃的轨道应用
3D printing in space may sound like something from the realms of science fiction, but the technology has been tested off-planet before, onboardNASA’sInternational Space Station(ISS). One of the leaders in this area is Made In Space, now a subsidiary ofRedwire, which installed a newceramic 3D printing moduleonboard the orbital base last year.
该公司的技术也将适合Blue Originand塞拉太空upcoming commercial‘Orbital Reef’ space station。原定于2026年推出，新基地有望用作“综合用途商业园”，同时在Space持续的微重力研发和实验生产测试中播放主持人。
在慕尼黑应用科学同时，研究人员对澳大利亚 - 中国团队采取了类似的方法，并开发了一个orbital satellite 3D printer。该系统旨在减少将维修设备射向太空所需的任务长度限制燃料的数量，将来可能能够在零重力条件下构建整个太阳能电池板或与天线相关的零件。
研究人员的发现在其论文中详细介绍了“Extrusion and Thermal Control Design of an On-orbit 3D Printing Platform,” which was co-authored by Jianning Tang, Trevor Hocksun Kwan and Xiaofeng Wu.
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特色图像显示了下地球轨道（LEO）中卫星的渲染。图像通过太空制造。
