Fraunhofer develops multi-metal 3D printing process for rocket components
EU-funded Enlighten project targets cost and time reductions in European launch vehicle development
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology have developed a 3D printing process capable of using multiple metals simultaneously to produce rocket components in a single run.
The method could cut weeks from development timelines, claims the institute, whose work is part of the European Union’s €38 million ($43.8m) “Enlighten” project, which aims to reduce the cost and complexity of manufacturing components for programs including the European Space Agency’s Ariane 6 rocket and its successors.
By consolidating what would traditionally be multiple separately machined and welded parts into one additive manufacturing step, the process also reduces the number of individual components requiring fabrication and testing.
Traditional rocket engine production relies on parts made from different metals, each machined separately and then joined through welding or bonding. However, this introduces numerous potential failure points into the workflow.
The Fraunhofer approach allows different metals to be deposited within a single print run based on the structural or thermal demands of each zone. In a demonstration, researchers printed a rocket valve combining magnetic and non-magnetic steel in one step, a task that would previously have required separate fabrication and machining of each material.
Not all metal combinations are compatible, however. Titanium and nickel, for example, can produce brittle joints prone to cracking. The team addressed this by introducing a thin molybdenum interlayer between incompatible materials.
While private launch companies including SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and Relativity Space already use 3D printing in production, publicly funded organizations have been slower to adopt the technology.
“With this manufacturing process, we can customize components directly on the computer and print them immediately,” said Constantin Jugert, scientist at Fraunhofer IGCV. “The enormous flexibility saves us lead times and allows for rapid iterations when requirements change. This saves weeks in development.
“We don’t just want to demonstrate how multi-material 3D printing works today – with ‘Enlighten,’ we are laying the foundation for sustainable, flexible mass production of rockets, which will make Europe more independent in the long term.”
