Major benefits of the QuickCast process include: After cooling, the outer shell is broken to reveal the finished part. Metal is poured into the resulting cavity. Once the shell has hardened, it is fired in high heat to burn out the pattern. The pattern is then coated in a casting ceramic shell. When the build is completed, liquid is drained from the pattern. With 3D Systems’ process, a 3D pattern is built with a Stereolithography (SLA) machine. QuickCast, a methodology that modernizes traditional casting techniques dating back thousands of years, is the perfect solution for dealing with design complexity. Other parts such as the manifold, plenum, and routing geometries are also integrated directly into structural elements that support the spacecraft. In contrast, the Planetary Resources design for the Arkyd 200 and 300 uses patented QuickCast™ casting patterns from 3D Systems to make the propulsion system a structurally integrated framework for the spacecraft itself. “The goal is to have a spacecraft like your cell phone, with no wasted space.” A key area of concentration is the fuel tank, which in the past has taken up a large percentage of a spacecraft’s volume and often looks like an appendage tacked onto the outside of the body. “3D printing helps us integrate separate pieces into one organic part,” says Chris Lewicki, Planetary Resources’ president, and CEO. That’s where 3D Systems comes into the picture. Planetary Resources expects that the Arkyd spacecraft will eventually be mass-produced, so there is no room for anything that is too heavy or takes up too much space within the spacecraft’s architecture. They are small enough to hitch a ride into space with larger, primary payloads, then be sent into orbit from a space station when conditions permit. They are setting the stage for Planetary Resources’ first full-scale production crafts, the Arkyd 100, 200 and 300 Series.The Arkyd 100, 200 and 300 are about twice the size of the demonstrator aircraft, with a mass of 11 to 15 kilograms (24-33 pounds). The two demonstrator spacecraft, about the size of a cereal box, are being used to validate core technologies, including avionics, control systems, software and sensors for detecting and characterizing asteroid resources. The second demonstrator, the A6, is scheduled for a Spring 2016 launch. The first demonstrator craft, the A3R, was launched and placed successfully into orbit in 2015. The company’s vehicle for low-cost robotic space exploration is the Arkyd Series of spacecraft that will identify near-Earth asteroids for mining of water and precious metals. Planetary Resource’s stated mission is bold: “To establish a new paradigm for resource utilization that will bring the solar system within humanity’s economic sphere of influence.” The company is using 3D Systems technologies to optimize complex parts and assemblies-resulting in lighter-weight parts, quicker design iterations, and cost savings from consolidating assemblies into one casted part. Planetary Resources is not just at the forefront of space, but at the apex of manufacturing itself. When a company sets out to do something as audacious as revolutionizing space exploration, it’s likely to throw away the book on many traditional processes, starting with design and manufacturing.
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