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| Science & Technology |
| Developing rapid prototyping center for space |
| 2006-08-29 |
| When astronauts need to fix broken parts in orbit using specialized tools, the replacement parts and necessary equipment traditionally must be delivered to them from Earth, delaying science and adding to the cost of the mission. Chicago native and engineer Curtis Manning and the Rapid Prototyping research team at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., are developing ways for astronauts to simply push a button - and quickly create the required part or tool right on the spot. Manning works in the Marshall Center's Rapid Prototyping Laboratory. The lab consists of seven state-of-the-art machines, each of which can build - without benefit of any kind of mold - intricate, detailed pieces of hardware using metallic dust, liquid resin and even a special kind of plastic that looks like fishing line. "Instead of starting at a drawing board, we start with a computer- aided design, or CAD drawing," Manning said. "We program our computers and machines with that CAD drawing, and the machine builds solid, three-dimensional objects with incredible detail, even hollow piping or a threaded hole for bolts." The machines can build small models, full-sized machine parts or ready-to-work tools. The technology permits engineers and designers to see their concepts realized in three dimensions. They can even perform basic testing on the prototype before committing to traditional construction or fabrication of parts. Once the process is perfected, Manning believes it's just a matter of time to make rapid prototyping cost-effective enough to perform in space. "We're relatively inexpensive," he said. "In the future, we could devise a process that would use raw materials in space to create whatever an astronaut might need." That way, instead of waiting for a misplaced or worn-out part or tool to be delivered from Earth, or returning a satellite to the ground for repair, an astronaut may simply upload CAD drawings or programs, feed them into a rapid prototyping process, load the raw material and quickly build the part or tool to finish the job. [..] |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #13 The benefit for space is that the astronauts don't have to wait for a resupply mission to get a part. The process will not replace mass production, which optimizes costs. Rapid prototyping builds up a part layer by layer, so is slow and the powdered/liquid starting materials are not the most durable. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-08-29 22:47 |
| #12 I agree. Not Kansas. Its a new world. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-08-29 21:08 |
| #11 Slightly OT... This is all very cool stuff, and kind of puts things into perspective; one group of people are sending other people into space and increasing the store of human knowledge, and one group of people want to stop the accumulation of knowledge and kill everyone who won't bow down to them. Hmmm. I've been following nano-stuff for quite some time, since Eric Drexler's Engines of Creation (1986) (I think I bought my copy in '91-92) and have also dug into his more mathematically minded 'Nanosystems' to see if the physics stacked up ok (I was mostly interested in thermal noise - seems like it shouldn't be a problem, the quantum effects were never going to be a problem). The idea of sugar grain sized computers really appealed to me! geek... There seemed to be a dearth of advances for most of the 90's, but recently things have really taken off - no general self-replicating assemblers that's for sure (and that's probably a very good thing), but some really amazing advances; chemical reactors on a chip, nanowires and all manner of sensors. I really hope that when the first assembler is built, which I think will happen in 10-15 years, it's built by the good guys, because when that happens, well Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore... |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2006-08-29 19:23 |
| #10 So lets get this straight. We can send up bulk materials (cheaper to insure and less worry about cost if a flight is lost) and build the complicated and expensive satellites and space station parts in orbit? Sounds like a winner if they can get it to work. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2006-08-29 18:11 |
| #9 "Your car has an engine with the fuel/economy balance that you choose." You don't have to change the engine. With computer engine controls, just change the software. Some Prius owners have ALREADY hacked the software for performance. |
| Posted by: Elmavitch Ebbuper2818 2006-08-29 14:25 |
| #8 With nano-tech assemblers things would be much more interesting..... (pie in the sky for a few more years) |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-08-29 13:19 |
| #7 What if you have thousands of stereo lithography lathes? You can makes thousands of personalised items. Each soldier has a gun sized exactly for him. Your car has an engine with the fuel/economy balance that you choose. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2006-08-29 11:25 |
| #6 Rapid prototyping or Stereo Lithography as it is also known has been around for a while now. It has its difinite uses but I seriously doubt it will ever replace mass production completely. One reason is the economy of scale. If you need one or ten of something then it is an extremely adaptable tool. But if you need thousands then IMO opinion it does not make much sense. But I would love to have one in the workshop to play around with |
| Posted by: Cheaderhead 2006-08-29 11:18 |
| #5 so basically space-age duct tape, bailing wire, with some glue |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-08-29 11:04 |
| #4 Pebbles, I want my replicator today! ;-) |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2006-08-29 10:18 |
| #3 Pebbles, don't I know you from somewhere? Or was it someone who looked just like you? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-08-29 08:03 |
| #2 We are approaching the end of the era of mass-production. The era of mass-personalisation is upon us. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2006-08-29 08:01 |
| #1 Callin' Jorde Laforge and ENTERPRISE=D. IOW, works just enuff, lasts long enuff, to get the shuttle home for the real repairs. KMART/WALMART taking over NASA??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-08-29 00:47 |