Parabilis Space Technologies Inc. announced today that it has successfully demonstrated the ability to incorporate prefabricated and dissimilar materials into a single multi-material part. Under a contract with NASA’s Langley Research Center, pre-fabricated copper, isomolded graphite, and Inconel 718 components were successfully encapsulated and integrated into a printed Inconel base. Successful encapsulation of non-weldable graphite material and incorporation of components with pre-manufactured conventionally machined micro-orifices were also demonstrated. According to Chris Grainger, Parabilis VP of Engineering, “Incorporating conventionally-machined and non-printable materials into 3-D printed parts gives us a range of design freedom not previously possible. This new capability has the potential to benefit NASA missions that require high-performance low-cost propulsion systems, such as Mars sample return, asteroid redirect, and earth science from Low Earth Orbit (LEO).”
Said lead engineer Anthony Gemmill, “In addition to space-related propulsion applications, the technical innovations achieved under this contract could benefit development and manufacture of aircraft products such as jet engine fuel nozzles, and non-aerospace products such as titanium prosthetic/skeletal devices for humans.”
Parabilis Space Technologies designs, develops, tests, and flies affordable propulsion, launch vehicle, and spacecraft solutions. Parabilis is located in San Marcos, CA.