Development of 3D Printing Solution to Reprint Metal Parts on the Moon

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is gaining significance as technology advances. It is particularly relevant in the field of space exploration, where it is considered essential for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) efforts. The European Space Agency (ESA) is supporting research in this area. The ESA’s Technology Development Element fund has provided support to an Austrian company called Incus, which aims to develop a 3D printing solution for reprinting metal parts on the Moon.

The Moon is known to have abundant metallic ore that can be mined by robots or explorers. However, the process of converting ore into metal requires a significant amount of energy and time, both of which are limited during lunar exploration. Therefore, it would be more practical to recycle existing metal instead of creating it from ore. Incus focuses on a technique called Lithography-based Metal Manufacturing (LMM), which involves combining metallic powder with a binding agent and using ultraviolet light to cure the mixture. The cured mixture is then sintered to form a finished part, eliminating the waste associated with traditional subtractive manufacturing processes.

One of the challenges faced by this process on the Moon is the presence of lunar dust. Lunar dust can interfere with the curing and binding process, causing the printed metal parts to crumble. This is especially problematic for recycling projects that aim to use metal from objects exposed to lunar dust for a long time. Cleaning these objects thoroughly before recycling is impractical due to the stickiness of lunar dust. Therefore, it is likely that recycled powder feedstock will contain a significant fraction of lunar dust.

Incus conducted research to determine the extent of this problem. Their ESA-sponsored research involved using both new and recycled titanium mixed with different percentages of lunar dust. Surprisingly, the results were positive. While high concentrations of lunar dust powder could affect the viscosity of the printed metal parts, adjusting the binder-to-powder ratio ensured that the parts met the same porosity standards as injection molding processes on Earth.

Although more work is needed for other types of material printing, such as iron/steel, and to address the potential need for filtration to process metal with higher concentrations of lunar dust, the ESA remains committed to supporting Incus and its partners. Further developments in this field can be expected in the near future.