Several people at Oerlikon once told me that Aerospace and Space are part of their core growth areas when it comes to Additive Manufacturing. If I was still apprehensive, well the latest production deals from the company confirm this is a serious business for them.
On the heels of a €3.8 million deal to produce industrial 3D Printed satellite components for Airbus, the global provider of surface and additive manufacturing solutions and services signed an order worth up to €900,000 for the production of 3D-printed heat exchanger sets for the new Ariane 6 rocket launcher. If you’re a space enthusiast or professional, then you should be familiar with the space company and its continuous use of AM to launch its rockets.
The Ariane 6 launcher is a strategic vector for European space access, bringing satellites and high-tech payloads into orbit several times per year. Ariane 6 is expected to play a key role in Europe’s space activities, including scientific exploration, Earth observation, telecommunications, and national security. It is designed for optimized flexibility and efficiency, to provide a reliable and cost-effective means of launching a wide variety of payloads into space, including satellites. 3D printed aluminum parts from Oerlikon AM will act as heat management devices (heat exchangers) for onboard equipment, supporting the performance and flexibility of the new launcher, a press release explains.
As you may guess, for this to happen, the metal 3D printing technology used by Oerlikon AM team will have to meet some compact and lightweight requirements at the production level.
After its initial launch, Ariane 6 will take-off several times per year into various orbits, including low Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit and sun-synchronous orbit. Thus, the heat exchanger sets were explicitly designed for serial production. Oerlikon AM will support ArianeGroup to meet their production requirements over the coming years, based on the forecasted demand for the rocket. Ariane 6 is projected to emerge as a leading European solution for access to space, with substantial anticipated market demand, one learns.
Listen to space experts on how to navigate the challenges of low-cost propulsion systems enabled by AM.
On another note, another collaboration that is worth mentioning, is a five-year agreement signed with MTU Aero Engines to develop engine parts, materials, and surface technologies for aero engines. The collaboration will focus on the development of future coatings and materials and will cover various aspects, including automation, digitization, and the associated industrialization for both series applications (OEM business) and the maintenance sector (MRO – Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul).
While the link with AM may be hard to perceive, it should be noted that Oerlikon’s deep knowledge in surface coating helps the company push the boundaries of AM beyond the manufacturing process itself.
Featured image: Courtesy of ArianeGroup. Remember, you can post free of charge job opportunities in the AM Industry on 3D ADEPT Media or look for a job via our job board. Make sure to follow us on our social networks and subscribe to our weekly newsletter : Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Instagram ! If you want to be featured in the next issue of our digital magazine or if you hear a story that needs to be heard, make sure to send it to contact@3dadept.com