Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' Space Technology Company, has teamed up with the National Center for Additive Manufacturing Excellence (NCAME) at Auburn University, an international market leader for the material characterization and modeling of crucial importance for the necessary structural integrity in order to advance the copper -3d printing.
“Blue Origin recently donated two EOS M290S to Ncame to improve the usefulness of copper in additive manufacturing,” said Nima Shamsaei, director of the Ncame and the Philpott-Westpoint Stevens Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering. “The high reflection capacity of Copper represents conventional 3D printing systems on a laser-based challenges in order to effectively melt and merge the powder, just as a large part of the laser energy is reflected.”
EOS M290 printers are among the best to master these challenges.
“Copper also has a high thermal conductivity, which makes melting even more inefficient,” said Jonathan Pegues, research scientist at the Ncame. “As soon as it melts, the absorption capability increases and leads to inconsistent behavior of the melting pool and potential defects in the printed part. Specialized laser systems that are better paired with copper are often needed to cope with these challenges, but certain legels such as GrCOP-42 have proven to be printable with standard-around lasers EOS-M290 integrated laser are integrated. ” “
“We already had two EO2 M290S, but these new additions enable us to accelerate the type of applied research that can support Blue Origin's needs for this alloy,” said Shamsaei.
In January, Blue Origin successfully started his first orbital start vehicle, New Glenn, from the start complex of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Recently there was known that the upcoming 11th human flight from New Shepard, its reusable, sub orbital rocket system for human flight, will include a purely female crew with former NASA scientists and pop superstar Katy Perry.
“Blue Origin is obviously one of the main companies on the front to explore the last border,” said Shamsaei. “It is an exciting partnership.”