The first iLAuNCH Trailblazer project is underway, establishing a facility that will design and deliver more durable satellite and hypersonic vehicle structures using additive manufacturing (AM).
Additive manufacturing is the process of creating an object by building it one layer at a time, steadily replacing the traditional method of subtractive manufacturing, creating by cutting away at a solid block of material until the final product is complete.
Partners in this iLAuNCH Trailblazer program includes the Future Industries Institute at the University of South Australia (UniSA) and Adelaide-based advanced manufacturer VPG Innovation.
“This important project is well underway in one of our key focus areas – additive manufacturing. Increasing the availability of custom structures, which are space-ready, will support the growing space sector,” said iLAuNCH Trailblazer Executive Director, Darin Lovett.
“The partnership will also support a world-class Australian sovereign manufacturing capability that will create new jobs, alongside a highly trained workforce, leading to global exports within the space industry and other markets.”
The facility will be located near space sector businesses in Adelaide to support the industry with rapid 3D printing of metals for space structures.
“The iLAuNCH hub is dedicated to building the space engineering capability of Australian Manufacturing. This project, the first to kick off for the space trailblazer program, will deliver additive manufacturing, at scale to Australia,” said University of South Australia’s Industry Professor Colin Hall.
“The project is full steam ahead; we already have two engineers in Sweden developing the practical skills to operate and maintain the systems. It’s a great to work with a company, that is innovative, proactive and has a long-term vision.”
Partnering with UniSA’s established additive manufacturing capability, this project will support an increase of VPG employees and the upskilling of current ones in the area of AM for space applications.
“VPG Innovation is excited to collaborate closely with the esteemed researchers from the Future Industries Institute at the University of South Australia to introduce and advance this cutting-edge technology within the Australian landscape," said Group CEO and Co-founder of Stärke-AMG, the parent company of VPG Innovation, Al Jawhari.
"This partnership reflects our commitment to fostering innovation and cultivating sovereign capability on a national level.”
The technology behind this new endeavour uses additive manufacturing through Electron Beam Melting (EBM) of metals. The EBM technique allows almost all of the energy put into creating the electron beam to contribute to melting the metallic dust, necessary when working with high temperature metals such as nickel and titanium.
The EBM process takes place in a vacuum, allowing for a high temperature in a non-oxygenated environment, which relieves internal stresses and results in more resilient, flexible parts.
Together through iLAuNCH, this project will enable the partners to develop practices for manufacturing design and devise appropriate methods to build parts with this technology.