Potential NASA Commercial Applications: The potential for applications within NASA are endless. Obvious applications include pressure vessels (including large cryotanks), composite crew modules, rocket motor casings, shrouds, satellite components (including zero CTE laminates), flywheel energy storage, and many others. The ability to 3D print structures has caught the public's imagination and is currently in use on the international space station. The ability to 3D print advanced thermoplastic composite structures opens up entirely new applications and opportunities. Additionally, the technology can be extended to other material systems including metal matrix composites (MMC) and ceramic matrix composites (CMC). Additively manufactured tools can be automatically fiber placed with continuous fiber reinforced metals or ceramics. Automated Dynamics and Fabrisonics have collaborated on aluminum matrix composites AFP. This has applications for higher temperature applications and selective reinforcement aluminum structures. Similarly, extremely high temperatures can be achieved with AFP ceramic precursors on 3D printed tools. However, in this case, post processes are required to paralyze the ceramic precursor. Applications include rocket motor components, heat shields, and thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles.
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