tailieunhanh - Layered Metals Fabrication Technology Development for Support of Lunar Exploration at NASAIMSFC

Almost all technologies described so far are suitable for prototyping or for small series production only. It simply takes a lot of time and is therefore costly to manufacture a large number of microstructures by laser ablation or wire erosion and by milling or SLM. This is not so in the case of the etching techniques. Here, a large number of microstructure devices can be very easily generated. Another possibility to obtain a large number of microstructures is by embossing. As it was shown [19], even microstructures ranging down to a few 10 mm structure size can be easily realized with embossing technology. For embossing, a tool providing. | Source of Acquisition NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Layered Metals Fabrication Technology Development for Support of Lunar Exploration at NASA MSFC Kenneth G. Cooper James E. Good2 Scott D. Gilley3 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville AL 35812 USA 2MEI Technologies Inc. Huntsville AL 35805 3Tec-Masters Inc. Huntsville AL 35805 256-544-8591 Kenneth. G. Cooper@ Abstract. NASA s human exploration initiative poses great opportunity and risk for missions to the Moon and beyond. In support of these missions engineers and scientists at the Marshall Space Flight Center are developing technologies for ground-based and in-situ fabrication capabilities utilizing provisioned and locally-refined materials. Development efforts are pushing state-of-the art fabrication technologies to support habitat structure development tools and mechanical part fabrication as well as repair and replacement of ground support and space mission hardware such as life support items launch vehicle components and crew exercise equipment. This paper addresses current fabrication technologies relative to meeting targeted capabilities near term advancement goals and process certification of fabrication methods. Keywords Layered fabrication solid freeform fabrication rapid manufacturing additive fabrication. PACS INTRODUCTION A Fabrication Technologies research and hardware development program for support of space missions is underway at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center MSFC in Huntsville Alabama. This effort is a sub-element of the In Situ Fabrication and Repair ISFR element which is working in conjunction with the In Situ Resources Utilization ISRU element. ISFR has the charter to provide fabrication and repair capabilities for space mission equipment with long term goal of operation in extraterrestrial environments while ISRU will extract useable materials from those local environments. ISFR activities include fabrication of mechanical components and