According to the China National Defense Science and Technology Information Network, the latest cutting-edge manufacturing technology has had a significant impact on the future of space exploration.
The main contractor of the J-2X rocket engine, Pratt & Whitney Lockdain, is using the advanced "selective laser melting" (SLM) 3D printing process to manufacture exhaust port covers for engines cover). SLM uses a laser beam to fuse metal powder into a special shape to build a vent cover, which is an important maintenance port for rocket engine turbo pumps.
This part was tested in a harsh environment during the rocket engine ignition test on March 7. The J-2X engine provides important support for NASA's "Space Launch System" (SLS) program. The SLS project manager said that this time, the concept of "selective laser fusion" was successfully verified: while the United States is advancing the next generation of heavy launch vehicles, engineers We are looking for a method similar to SLM to make the rocket more economical. For example, the cost of manufacturing this part using new technology is 35% of the cost of manufacturing this part using conventional methods, and the savings are particularly significant. I hope to promote it in subsequent projects.
The vent cover is exposed to extreme temperatures and the environment when the engine ignites. After the engine is running normally, the test operator opens the vent cover to check the torque on the turbo pump, and looks at the vent cover itself. The preliminary conclusion is that the vent cover operates as expected. This is the first SLM part ignition test in a full-scale engine test. Although the vent cover is a relatively simple part in a complex liquid engine, it allows us to develop new design standards, review techniques, and material properties.
NASA Marshall Space Center recently demonstrated how the technology can save SLS budget by reducing the time it takes to build engine parts by several months. One of the parts is the spring Z partition of the RS-25 engine, which is used to reduce the severe tremor that the engine may encounter in flight.
Forming, processing and welding of traditional separators takes 9-10 months, and through computer-aided design of parts, it takes only 9 days to build the separator using SLM, which obviously saves time and cost. From a structural point of view, the reduction of traditional welding also makes the part more robust and intact.
Selective laser melting is one of the cutting-edge technologies and concepts studied by the SLS Advanced Research Office, which is studying ways to make SLS the world ’s strongest launch vehicle in terms of safety, affordability, and sustainability. This successful J-2X test laid the foundation for the design and manufacture of more complex SLM parts for the J-2X engine and RS-25 engine, ultimately saving costs and manufacturing time.
In 2017, SLS will test-fire from NASA Kennedy Space Center for the first time and will launch an "Orion" unmanned spacecraft into lunar orbit.
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