NASA Funds Cold Spray Research for High-Temperature 3D Printing Alloys
NASA is supporting research into cold spray additive manufacturing for high-temperature alloys, potentially enabling in-situ repairs and manufacturing in extreme environments.
NASA is providing funding to investigate the use of cold spray additive manufacturing for creating and repairing components made from high-temperature alloys. This technology is particularly relevant for applications where materials need to withstand extreme heat and harsh conditions.
The research aims to explore the capabilities of cold spray in depositing and consolidating these challenging materials, which are often difficult to process using traditional additive manufacturing methods like powder bed fusion. Cold spray involves accelerating solid particles to high velocities, allowing them to bond upon impact without melting.
This approach could offer significant advantages for in-situ manufacturing and repair. For instance, it could be used to fix damaged parts on spacecraft or even construct new components directly in space or on other celestial bodies where high temperatures are a common factor.
The development is seen as a crucial step towards enabling more robust and adaptable additive manufacturing capabilities for space exploration and other demanding industrial sectors.
Cold spray offers a unique pathway for additive manufacturing of high-temperature alloys, bypassing issues like oxidation and porosity common in laser or electron beam methods. This research could unlock in-situ repair and production capabilities for aerospace, particularly for components exposed to extreme thermal loads, and is a key development for future space-based manufacturing and exploration missions.
Edited by the news editor with AI and translated into English from the original report — please refer to the original source.