3D printing - SpaceX leads the way

Why 3D Printing a Jet Engine or Car Is Just the Beginning

The 3D printing (digital manufacturing) market has had a lot of hype over the past few years.

Most recently, it seems this technology arena has entered the "trough of disillusionment," as 3D printing stock prices have taken a hit. But the fact remains: this exponential technology is still in its childhood and its potential for massive disruption (of manufacturing and supply chains) lies before us.

This article is about 3D printing's vast potential - our ability to soon 3D print complex systems like jet engines, rocket engines, cars and even houses.

But first, a few facts:

Today, we can 3D print in some 300 different materials, ranging from titanium to chocolate.
We can 3D print in full color.
We can 3D print in mixed materials - imagine a single print that combines metals, plastics and rubbers.
Best of all, complexity and personalization come for free.

What Does It Mean for "Complexity to Be Free"?

Think about this: If you 3D print a solid block of titanium, or an equal-sized block with a thousand moving components inside, the time and cost of both 3D printings is almost exactly the same (the solid block is actually more expensive from a materials cost).

Complexity and personalization in the 3D printing process come for free - i.e. no additional cost and no additional time. Today, we're finding we can 3D print things that you can't manufacture any other way.

Let's take a look at some of the exciting things being 3D printed now.


3D Printing Rocket Engines
SpaceX 3D printed main oxidizer valves (MOVs).
SpaceX SuperDraco rocket engines.

In 2014, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket with a 3D-printed Main Oxidizer Valve (MOV) body in one of the nine Merlin 1D engines (the print took less than two days -whereas a traditional castings process can take months).

Even more impressive, SpaceX is now 3D printing its SuperDraco engine chamber for the Dragon 2 capsule.

According to SpaceX, the process "resulted in an order of magnitude reduction in lead-time compared with traditional machining - the path from the initial concept to the first hotfire was just over three months."