3D Manufacturing of Integrated Heat Exchangers

This NASA SBIR Phase II proposal presents an unprecedented method to do additive manufacturing of high temperature materials for NTP with a femtosecond (fs) fiber laser. A proof of concept demonstration has been carried out at the end of Phase 1. It is the enabling technology for 3D manufacturing of high temperature materials. With our successful history in ultrafast laser AM and SM processing, this proposal has a great potential to succeed in phase II. A prototype will be developed and sample coupons will be delivered during Phase II time frame.

In addition to NASA�s reactor core for NTP and heat exchangers for CubeSat, the proposed short pulse high power fiber laser AM & SM processing approach can also be used in other applications, such as rocket, aircraft, and satellite manufacturing. Esp. it will find great potential in refractory material manufacturing for NASA nuclear rockets and spacecrafts, along with low absorption materials (copper, glasses). PolarOnyx will develop a series of products to meet various requirements for NASA/military deployments.

Successful development of the proposed AM technology will provide a vital tool to solve existing and potential issues as discussed in Section 1. This technology will be directly applied in the 3D printing area with combined market share of $10(s) of billions. 3D printing uses various technologies for building the products for all kinds of applications from foods, toys to rockets and cars. The global market for 3D Printing is projected to reach $2.99 billion by the year 2018, driven by the advent of newer technologies, approaches, and applications. Expanding use of the technology in manufacturing final products, declining cost of printers, and increasing use of 3D printing technology in newer areas bodes well for market growth. The 3D printing market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.76% between 2017 and 2023, to be worth $32.78 billion by 2023.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.