Redesigning a reaction control thruster for metal-based additive manufacturing: A case study in design for additive manufacturing

Matthew R. Woods, Nicholas A. Meisel, Timothy W. Simpson, Corey J. Dickman

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Prior research has shown that powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (AM) can be used to make functional, end-use components from powdered metallic alloys, such as Inconel® 718 super alloy. However, these end-use products are often based on designs developed for more traditional subtractive manufacturing processes without taking advantage of the unique design freedoms afforded by AM. In this paper, we present a case study involving the redesign of NASA's existing "Pencil" thruster used for spacecraft attitude control. The initial "Pencil" thruster was designed for, and manufactured using, traditional subtractive methods. The main focus in this paper is to (a) review the Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) concepts and considerations used in redesigning the thruster and (b) compare it with a parallel development effort redesigning the original thruster to be manufactured more effectively using subtractive processes. The results from this study show how developing end-use AM components using DfAM guidelines can significantly reduce manufacturing time and costs while introducing new and novel design geometries.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication42nd Design Automation Conference
PublisherAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ISBN (Electronic)9780791850107
DOIs
StatePublished - 2016
EventASME 2016 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE 2016 - Charlotte, United States
Duration: Aug 21 2016Aug 24 2016

Publication series

NameProceedings of the ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference
Volume2A-2016

Other

OtherASME 2016 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE 2016
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityCharlotte
Period8/21/168/24/16

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Modeling and Simulation

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