Apr 20, 2016 | By Alec

Zero-gravity 3D printing has been an exclusively American affair since 2014, thanks to Made In Space’s innovative 3D printing solution. But that changed last week, when Chinese researchers revealed that they had successfully tested their very own zero-gravity 3D printer during an extensive testing program held in Bordeaux, France. Duan Xuanming from the Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology (CIGIT) has now revealed more details about that spectacular breakthrough, and even argued that their zero-gravity 3D printer is laying the foundations for a brand new space station that is to be built in 2020.

For those of you who missed it, this Chinese zero-gravity 3D printing solution has been developed by an extensive research collaboration featuring scientists from the CIGIT and the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU), both part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Beijing. It has been sponsored by the China Manned Space Program, and development took about two years. Their final functional prototype had been tested during 93 parabolic flights using reduced gravity aircraft at a test site in France. The parabolic test flights created microgravity environments that lasted for about 22 seconds at a time. The test program was a complete success, with a total of five different materials and two 3D printing technologies tested.

CIGIT deputy director Duan Xuanming now revealed a lot more about both the 3D printer and the tests they performed. As he revealed, the Chinese-made 3D printer is not just bigger than the first Made In Space 3D printer, but also bigger than the upgrade that was sent to the ISS last month. “You can print objects with a maximum size of 220mm x 140mm x 150mm, which is twice the size of NASA's first zero-gravity 3D printer. It is also larger than the upgraded version that NASA sent to the International Space Station on March 26,” he argued. Made In Space’s latest model features a build volume of just 180 x 140 x 100 mm.

The Made In Space 3D printer currently tested in the ISS.

The deputy director further revealed that they 3D printed a wide variety of objects during the tests in Bordeaux, including wrenches, nuts, connecting rods and similar practical tools that could be used aboard a space station. Almost the size of a safe, this 3D printer can be tilted in every way possible without harming the printing quality at all. “It prints plastics and two kinds of composite materials, and we even completed tests in weightless and overweight environments, and of course in normal gravity situations. All three situations create different 3D printing parameters,” he revealed. “The machine has many unique functions such as the ability to upload and function under varied gravity environments, and can cope with exposure to increased speed and vibrations. We have made China's first true microgravity 3D printing solution a reality.”

The deputy director further explained that the 3D printer features print speeds of 10~30 mm per second, and can easily 3D print replacement parts within a day or two when aboard a space station. This will, he says, easily help astronauts test and maintain tools and parts in space, adding a great deal of flexibility to their day-to-day operations and experiments. During the tests, a team of scientists also continuously collected material data relevant for additive manufacturing in space. According to Duan Xuanming, this will also greatly help them to realize future space-bound ambitions. “The data obtained from the influence of microgravity environments on 3D printing has already laid the foundation for the construction of the space station in 2020 and its post-operation,” he revealed.

The technology’s impact is hard to overstate because it could actually be a solution for the immense costs involved in space exploration. Sending necessary supplies into space is extremely expensive and can easily take six months to plan and execute. Once in space, precious cargo room is also necessary. But those costs could be significantly reduced if you only have to send up a few basic materials that are used for on-demand 3D printing. It will, scientists agree, facilitate deeper space exploration through efficiency, flexibility and a decreased reliance on supply lines from earth.

But neither NASA or the CAS are quite there yet. According to CIGIT president Yuan Jiahu there are still some issues surrounding the Chinese zero-gravity 3D printer that need to be tackled, though the successful tests underline the machine’s potential. “Especially the printing of complicated shapes with high precision and multiple materials still creates a few problems. Once we make breakthroughs in these areas, we can start fully using this 3D printer for high-end applications in space,” he said.

 

 

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