8 Researchers in Scotland have developed a 3D printer that can operate in zero gravity in orbit, writes Nick Flaherty. Instead of the filaments used in 3D printers on Earth, the printer uses a granular material, designed to work effectively in microgravity and the vacuum of space. The properties of the material and the 3D-printing system allow the former to be drawn reliably from the prototype’s feedstock tank and delivered to the printer’s nozzle faster than any other method. A conveyance system transports the thermoplastic granules to the end effector without the need of a hopper with a gravity feed. The granules move differently in a microgravity, and using the conveyor also reduces the mass of the end effector to make it easier to control in zero gravity. This reduces internal torque and vibration, which is an important factor for operating in an environment such as a space station, where strong vibrations can upset other experiments and even cause structural damage. The researchers are exploring methods of embedding electronics into the materials as part of the printing process, opening up the possibility of creating functional components for use in devices created in space, as well as recyclable space systems. Dr Gilles Bailet, of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering, has been awarded a patent for the system that covers many ways of implementing the basic idea. A prototype of the 3D printer has been tested during a series of trips on zerogravity research aircraft flights. “Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is capable of producing remarkably complex materials quickly at low cost. Putting that technology in space and printing what we need for assembly in orbit would be fantastically useful,” he said. “However, what works well here on Earth is often less robust in the vacuum of space, and 3D printing has never been done outside of the pressurised modules of the International Space Station. The filaments in conventional 3D printers often break or jam in microgravity and in vacuum, which is a problem that needs to be solved before they can be reliably used in space. “Through this research, we now have technology that brings us much closer to being able to do that, providing positive impacts for the whole world in the years to come.” The team took their prototype system on three test flights, which provided them with more than 90 brief periods of weightlessness. During each 22-second period of weightlessness, the team closely monitored the prototype’s dynamics and power consumption, which showed the system worked as designed against the challenges of microgravity. “We’ve tested the technology extensively in the lab and now in microgravity, and we’re confident that it’s ready to perform as expected, opening up the possibility of 3D-printing of antenna and other spacecraft parts in space,” Bailet added. Materials 3D printing isn’t lost in space in zero gravity Platform one xx February/March 2025 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Gilles Bailet with a zero-gravity 3D printer (Image courtesy of the University of Glasgow)
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