3D printing metal in space! Tech developed by Airbus

Airbus is developing a 3D printer that heats up metal to "1,200 degrees Celsius to produce new parts such as radiation shields, tooling or equipment directly in orbit."

Credit: Airbus

[pavulon]

looks pretty impressive for a wire fed printer tbh

[leechy]

This is why asteroid mining needs to be developed so that the metals found in them can be refined and turned into feed-stock for these printers! It's impractical shipping the materials from Earth!

[brett]

Good job Airbus. We need to learn how to do this. We'll also need to lean how to do this in low gravity like the moon. I hope you have plans for testing there. We're right next to the supplies we need for the 3D printing in the moon's regolith.

[Jizzle]

I hope it’s not an HP printer, the astronauts will need to change the cartridges after a couple of weeks 👩‍🚀

[nubletten]

That is one smooth welding line. The real challange is to produce the filament in space.

[jotherman]

This will be revilotionary, in space and earth

[sween]

You could incorporate cold welding if using in space, might help efficiency

[triberium_]

I feel like space is the place to be is you are going to be welding stuff/3d printing metals because of cold welding

[mocad]

Just looks like regular wire arc additive that is being used by a ton of groups now. And from the look of those prints it doesn't look like its well optimized yet in this system.

[yoda]

Ey a couple hundred years and we are going to have giant spaceships 3d printing other spaceships

[j.lietka]

Funded by the ESA. What are the test pieces? Are they, or some of them, being sent back to Earth for testing? Is the ESA going to try and manufacture certain chip materials? Thank you

[roidroid]

Pretty sure EDM metal 3d printing has already been done in space.

[adamo]

What can you use those kinds of prints for? Why not DMLS but FDM printer? To check if it's working without practical gravity turn it around 180 degrees and see if it will work upside down. If so - yay it will work in space. Easy.

It seems like PR stunt with no actual use, sorry

[shanepye]

Why can’t cold welding be applied in space? Seems like it would save energy from not heating the metal.

[documentair]

Pourquoi il parle pas Français alors qu'il l'est ?