Free Form Fabrication of a Demonstration RS25 Jacket Part using Large Scale Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) Additive Technique

NASA is advancing several manufacturing technologies relative to the reduction of cost and schedules for liquid rocket engine development. The goal of this specific project under the NASA MSFC Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) is to demonstrate a large scale freeform directed energy deposition (DED) process for fabrication of regeneratively-cooled nozzle liners (or jackets). This is being achieved by building a half-scale nozzle liner demonstrator for the RS25 engine using DM3D's proprietary Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) technology. The material being demonstrated for this application is JBK-75 (Fe-Ni-Cr-Ti), a derivative of the A-286 superalloy. The secondary goal of this project is to demonstrate that this technology is feasible for these thin- walled structures and to further realize significant cost savings and schedule improvements over traditional manufacturing techniques. The nozzle is being targeted as an area of interest for the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) RS25 since it is a significant cost of the overall engine cost.

This current development aims to develop the process for large scale component, such as the nozzle liner/jacket through the following development tasks:

1. Process optimization, assessing distortion, and manufacture of test coupons
2. Manufacture of half-scale nozzle liner
3. Heat treatment of the nozzle jacket
4. Partial machining of the nozzle jacket to demonstrate machinability and assess machining challenges

This development has alignment to NASA technology areas and direct NASA needs as part of the SLS program, future NASA programs, as well as commercial programs. This technology has infusion potential beyond just NASA applications in industry and other government agencies.

Component cost reduction can be achieved through elimination of processes, adoption and integration of new manufacturing techniques and design solutions, reduction of inspections, or use of lower cost inspections. Some of these savings are being realized with additive manufacturing techniques, such as powder-bed fusion (PBF) of direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), but these techniques are very limited in scale to approximately 15.7 in. (400mm) diameter. An alternate to PBF technology is the use of directed energy deposition (DED) that does not require the limitations of the build box. The DMD technology, a form of DED, is being advanced to solve the scale limitation, but large scale freeform parts targeting rocket engines are yet to be proven.

The specific objectives and benefits from this development under the CAN are:

1. Demonstrate the direct metal deposition for large structures
2. Understand and predict thermal distortions
3. Demonstrate ability to machine deposited structures
4. Investigate properties as replacement for wrought structures
5. Establish a basic database of DED properties for design engineers
6. Introduce the process to industry for application to engine components

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 1) — 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.