Rapid Manufacturing of High Power Electric Propulsion Components

A flexible, lower cost approach to the rapid manufacture of high power electric propulsion components is desirable. Today's near-net fabrication technologies are extremely limited in terms of design flexibility due to reduction-based fabrication approaches. While modern additive manufacturing approaches show great promise, these still require significant development for use with higher temperature materials such as refractory metals. Considering this need for design flexibility as well as shorter development cycles, reduced costs, and minimized variance in making high power electric propulsion components, an innovative technology for rapid manufacturing that can be used with high temperature materials will be demonstrated in this work. Specifically, an additive manufacturing/metal injection molding manufacturing technology will be developed to produce a protoytpe article for a high power electric propulsion component made from a refractory alloy.

Potential NASA Commercial Applications of this technology include launch, in-space and air-breathing propulsion system components, especially those requiring sophisticated internal passageways, made from high temperature materials such as refractory metals.

Potential Non-NASA Commercial Applications of this technology include military and commercial launch, in-space, and air-breathing propulsion system components, especially those requiring sophisticated internal passageways, made from high temperature materials such as refractory metals. Other possible applications are components and structures for power generation (industrial gas turbines and nuclear reactors), industrial pump and valve for corrosion resistance (petrochemical industry), and biomedical implants.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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.

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