[en] In the frame of a research project, CRIF, KUL and CSL have investigated the possibility to use rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing (RP/RM) techniques during space instrument development. Rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing terms gather several techniques with the common baseline that parts are built layer by layer, starting from a CAD model. These techniques imply powder, paste or liquid and are applicable to polymers, ceramics and metals. In a first step, the major advantages of these techniques have been presented to Belgian industries implied in the space sector and, as a result of the discussions, development goals for the project have been identified. Several types of use have also been pointed, from demonstration mock-up to real space hardware. In parallel to technical developments, several case studies and tests have been performed. The case studies have shown that the rapid manufacturing allows complex geometries to be created. A drastic decrease of the number of separate parts and bolted junctions ease the predictability of the mechanical and thermal behaviour and limit the risk of imperfect junction. As a result of the project, a guidelines document has been issued to give as much information as possible on how to perform a space instrument design using the advantages of RP/RM techniques.
Disciplines :
Aerospace & aeronautics engineering
Author, co-author :
Rochus, Pierre ; Université de Liège - ULiège > CSL (Centre Spatial de Liège) - Instrumentation et expérimentation spatiales
T.T. Wohlers, Wohlers Report 2005: Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing State of the Industry; Annual Worldwide Progress Report, Wohlers Associates, 2005.
Levy G.N., Schindel R., and Kruth J.-P. Rapid manufacturing and rapid tooling with layer manufacturing (lm) technologies, state of the art and future perspectives. Annals of the CIRP 52 2 (2003) 589
Kruth J.-P., Mercelis P., Van Vaerenbergh J., Froyen L., and Rombouts M. Binding mechanisms in selective laser sintering and selective laser melting. Rapid Prototyping Journal 11 1 (2005) 26-36
Vandenbroucke B., and Kruth J.-P. Selective laser melting of biocompatible metals for rapid manufacturing of medical parts. Proceedings of the Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) Symposium. Austin, Texas (August 2006)
J.-P. Kruth, M. Van Elsen, Manufacturing of light weight polymer structures using SLS, Polymer and Mould Innovations, Gent, Belgium, April 20-23, 2005.
Mercelis P., and Kruth J.-P. Residual stresses in selective laser sintering and selective laser melting. Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Advanced Research in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping (VRAP 2005). Leiria, Portugal (2005) 109-131
Gibson L.J., and Ashby M.F. Cellular Solids: Structure and Properties. second ed. (1997), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Deshpande V.S., Fleck N.A., and Ashby M.F. Effective properties of the octet-truss lattice material. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 49 (2001) 1747-1769
Evans A.G., Hutchinson J.W., and Ashby M.F. Multifunctionality of cellular metal systems. Progress in Materials Science 43 (1999) 171-221
Weaver P.M., and Ashby M.F. Material limits for shape efficiency. Progress in Materials Science 41 (1997) 61-128
Bendsoe M.P., and Sigmund O. Topology Optimization: Theory, Methods and Applications (2003), Springer, Berlin
P. Duysinx, O. Sigmund, New developments in handling stress constraints in optimal material distributions, Seventh Symposium on Multidiciplinary Analysis and Optimization, AIAA/USAF/NASA/ISSMO, AIAA-98-4906, September 1998, pp. 1501-1509.