European Space Agency to begin printing 3D parts for space flight

The European Space Agency (ESA) today kicked off a project to begin producing a number of complex, 3D printed metal parts for use in space and Earth.

The ESA’s AMAZE project will vastly reduce the cost of creating metal parts for spacecraft, jet engines and fusion projects by allowing parts to be created as-needed. The ESA said the parts, which can be made from tungsten alloy, can withstand temperatures at 3000 degrees Celsius. Tungsten parts can withstand not only the heat generated by rocket engines, but nuclear fusion reactors, the agency said.

The ESA’s project will include 28 public and private institutions to create the metal components through 3D printing. The ESA said in order to create a supply chain, 3D printing sites are being established in factories in the U.K., Norway France, and Germany.

SOURCE: computerworld.com