Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on May 9 successfully tested a liquid rocket engine made with the help of 3D printing.
- The engine, PS4 is used as the engine for the fourth stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
- It was redesigned by ISRO for production using 3D printing. The technology helped ISRO bring down the number of parts in the engine from 14 to a single piece.
- ISRO was able to eliminate 19 weld joints and saved 97% of raw material. It also reduced the overall production time by 60%.
3D printing
- 3D printing is a process that uses computer-created design to make three-dimensional objects layer by layer.
- It is an additive process, in which layers of a material like plastic, composites or bio-materials are built up to construct objects that range in shape, size, rigidity, and colour.
- To carry out 3D printing, one needs a personal computer connected to a 3D printer. They need to do is design a 3D model of the required object on computer-aid design (CAD) software and press ‘print’.
- The 3D printer does the rest of the job. 3D printers construct the desired object by using a layering method, which is the complete opposite of the subtractive manufacturing processes.
- These machines are capable of printing anything from ordinary objects like a ball or a spoon to complex moving parts like hinges and wheels.
