Using Additive Manufacturing to Reduce the Cost of Instrument Development

In the standard Goddard instrument development process, to assemble two parts of the instrument, say Part A and Part B, into an Assembly AB, twelve documents are required

Parts are manufactured by initiating WOAs that reference design drawings, then all parts are inspected, cleaned, and stored prior to assembly.  Each of these steps requires documentation of the procedure.  These documents require preparation, signoff by the senior members of the instrument team, and configuration control. 

With AM complex parts can be made, even parts too complex to be machined. Mass lightened parts that are difficult to machine can be easily printed.  AM interfaces well with the 3D modeling capabilities that GSFC which GSFC has invested heavily over the last 15 years, and finally AM provides for rapid, inexpensive prototyping in plastic or metals, including aluminum.

 In addition, AM allows for the possibility of Topological Optimization (TO), or computer optimized parts design, which tends to produce organic looking parts that are difficult to machine, but easily printed (Figure 3).  Topological Optimization integrated with NASTRAN will allow the design of lower mass instruments.