India's space agency, ISRO, has reached a major milestone with the successful testing of a liquid rocket engine made using 3D printing technology. This groundbreaking achievement marks a significant leap forward in India's space program and opens doors to advanced manufacturing techniques.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced a groundbreaking achievement: the successful hot testing of a liquid rocket engine manufactured using 3D printing technology. This engine, designed for the upper stage of ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), represents a significant advancement in the country's space capabilities.
Redesigning for Innovation
ISRO undertook a revolutionary approach by redesigning the conventional PS4 engine to leverage additive manufacturing techniques. This process, known as Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM), resulted in notable benefits.
By employing the Laser Powder Bed Fusion technique, ISRO reduced the engine's component count from 14 to a single piece, eliminating 19 weld joints. This streamlined design not only drastically reduced raw material usage from 565kg to just 13.7kg of metal powder but also slashed production time by 60%.
Development and Testing
The PS4 engine, utilizing nitrogen tetroxide as the oxidizer and monomethyl hydrazine as the fuel, was developed by ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). The additive manufacturing process was carried out by Wipro 3D, an Indian industry partner. The hot testing phase took place at ISRO's Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri.
Thorough Testing Validates Performance
Prior to the successful 665-second hot test, ISRO conducted a comprehensive development program. This involved detailed flow and thermal modeling, structural simulations, cold flow characterization of the proto hardware, and four successful developmental hot tests, totaling 74 seconds. These rigorous tests confirmed the engine's performance parameters.
Future Outlook
The successful hot testing of the 3D printed PS4 engine represents a significant advancement in rocket engine manufacturing. ISRO states that this achievement sets the stage for the integration of the additively manufactured engine into the regular PSLV program, heralding a new era of advanced manufacturing techniques for India's space endeavors.
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