Direct Manufacturing of Structure Elements for Next Generation Platform

Funding: European Space Agency (ESA)

Topic: Artes 5

Duration: 01.10.2013-01.04.2015

At the C.I.K. the following doctoral thesis resulted from this project: “ Intelligente Optimierung von Produktgeometrien für die additive Fertigung“ by Thomas Reiher, 26.10.2018.

At the C.I.K. the following spin-off emerged from this project: AMendate.

In the project NewStructure the impact of AM-technologies on actual aerospace parts will be investigated, using the example of actual telecommunication satellites. The gains, when trading off conventionally fabricated parts by additively manufactured metallic parts, will be examined and quantified. Different types of applications will be investigated:

• Case A parts: Identical elements applicable to each platform
• Case B parts: More complex parts featuring a high buy-to-fly ratio

The requirements are to reduce the materials costs, the components’ weight and/or the manufacturing time in comparison to the traditional fabrication method. As the manufacturing strategy of AM is fundamentally different from that of conventional techniques (e.g. turning or milling) a complete redevelopment of the fabrication process and of the part design will be conducted. Thus, an iterative approach will be applied in order to systematically reveal optimization possibilities. The pursued strategies to meet the main challenges by use of AM-intrinsic advantages are given in the following table:

• Weight reduction: Use of materials of high specific strength, optimization of part design to obtain load-adapted structures
• Waste reduction: Reduction of chip removal volume and buy-to-fly ratio
• Cost reduction: AM specific redesign Zeitreduktion: Verarbeitung von mehreren Teilen gleichzeitig, Endkonturnahe Fertigung