Ukususela kwinkulungwane yama-20, uluntu belunomdla wokuhlola isithuba nokuqonda okungaphaya koMhlaba. Imibutho emikhulu efana neNASA kunye ne-ESA ibiphambili ekuhloleni isithuba, kwaye omnye umdlali obalulekileyo kolu khuphiswano kukuprinta nge-3D. Ngenxa yokukwazi ukuvelisa ngokukhawuleza iindawo ezinzima ngexabiso eliphantsi, obu buchwephesha boyilo buya buthandwa kakhulu kwiinkampani. Buyenza indalo yezicelo ezininzi, ezifana neesathelayithi, ii-spacesuits, kunye nezixhobo zerokhethi. Enyanisweni, ngokutsho kweSmarTech, ixabiso lemarike lokwenziwa kwezinto ezongezelelekileyo kushishino lwabucala kulindeleke ukuba lifikelele kwi-€2.1 yeebhiliyoni ngo-2026. Oku kuphakamisa umbuzo: Ukuprinta nge-3D kungabanceda njani abantu baphumelele esibhakabhakeni?
Ekuqaleni, ukuprinta nge-3D kwakusetyenziselwa kakhulu ukwenza iiprototype ngokukhawuleza kumashishini ezonyango, eemoto, kunye neenqwelo moya. Nangona kunjalo, njengoko ubuchwepheshe busasazeka kakhulu, busetyenziswa ngakumbi kwiindawo zokugqibela. Itekhnoloji yokwenziwa kwezinto ezongeziweyo zesinyithi, ngakumbi i-L-PBF, ivumele ukuveliswa kweendidi ezahlukeneyo zesinyithi ezineempawu kunye nokuqina ezifanelekileyo kwiimeko ezigqithisileyo zesithuba. Ezinye itekhnoloji zokuprinta nge-3D, ezifana ne-DED, i-binder jetting, kunye nenkqubo yokukhupha, nazo zisetyenziswa ekwenziweni kwezinto zeenqwelo moya. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje, kuye kwavela iimodeli ezintsha zoshishino, kunye neenkampani ezifana ne-Made in Space kunye ne-Relativity Space zisebenzisa itekhnoloji yokuprinta ye-3D ukuyila izinto zeenqwelo moya.
Indawo yokuphuhlisa iprinta ye-3D kwishishini leenqwelo moya
Itekhnoloji yokuprinta ye-3D kwi-aerospace
Ngoku ekubeni sizise, masijonge ngakumbi iitekhnoloji ezahlukeneyo zokuprinta ze-3D ezisetyenziswa kwishishini leenqwelo moya. Okokuqala, kufuneka kuqatshelwe ukuba ukwenziwa kwezongezo zesinyithi, ngakumbi i-L-PBF, yeyona isetyenziswa kakhulu kweli candelo. Le nkqubo ibandakanya ukusebenzisa amandla e-laser ukudibanisa umaleko wepowder yesinyithi ngomaleko. Ifanelekile ngokukodwa ukuvelisa iindawo ezincinci, ezintsonkothileyo, ezichanekileyo, nezilungiselelwe wena. Abavelisi beenqwelo moya banokungenelwa kwi-DED, equka ukufaka ucingo lwesinyithi okanye umgubo kwaye isetyenziselwa kakhulu ukulungisa, ukugquma, okanye ukuvelisa iindawo zesinyithi okanye zeseramikhi ezenzelwe wena.
Ngokwahlukileyo koko, ukujija kwe-binder, nangona kuluncedo ngokwesantya semveliso kunye neendleko eziphantsi, akufanelekanga ukuvelisa iindawo zoomatshini ezisebenzayo kakhulu kuba kufuna amanyathelo okuqinisa emva kokucubungula andisa ixesha lokuvelisa imveliso yokugqibela. Itekhnoloji yokukhupha i-extrusion ikwasebenza nakwindawo esithubeni. Kufuneka kuqatshelwe ukuba ayizizo zonke iipolymers ezifanelekileyo ukusetyenziswa esithubeni, kodwa iiplastiki ezisebenzayo kakhulu ezifana ne-PEEK zinokuthatha indawo yezinye iindawo zesinyithi ngenxa yamandla azo. Nangona kunjalo, le nkqubo yokuprinta ye-3D ayikasasazeki kakhulu, kodwa inokuba yimpahla exabisekileyo yokuhlola isithuba ngokusebenzisa izixhobo ezintsha.
I-Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) bubuchwepheshe obusetyenziswa kakhulu ekuprinteni nge-3D kwi-aerospace.
Amandla eZixhobo zeSithuba
Ishishini leenqwelo-moya belisoloko lihlola izinto ezintsha ngokusebenzisa ushicilelo lwe-3D, licebisa ezinye iindlela ezintsha ezinokuphazamisa imakethi. Ngelixa iintsimbi ezifana ne-titanium, i-aluminium, kunye ne-nickel-chromium alloys bezisoloko ziyinto ephambili, izinto ezintsha zinokuthi zithathe indawo ephambili kungekudala: i-lunar regolith. I-Lunar regolith lulwahlulo lothuli olugubungela inyanga, kwaye i-ESA ibonakalise iingenelo zokuyidibanisa noshicilelo lwe-3D. U-Advenit Makaya, injineli ephezulu yokuvelisa i-ESA, uchaza i-lunar regolith njengefana nekhonkrithi, eyenziwe kakhulu yi-silicon kunye nezinye izinto zeekhemikhali ezifana ne-iron, i-magnesium, i-aluminium, kunye ne-oxygen. I-ESA isebenzisana neLithoz ukuvelisa iindawo ezincinci ezisebenzayo ezifana nezikrufu kunye neegiya zisebenzisa i-lunar regolith elinganisiweyo eneempawu ezifana nothuli lwenyanga yokwenyani.
Uninzi lweenkqubo ezibandakanyekayo ekwenzeni i-lunar regolith zisebenzisa ubushushu, nto leyo eyenza ukuba ihambelane netekhnoloji efana ne-SLS kunye nezisombululo zokuprinta i-powder bonding. I-ESA ikwasebenzisa itekhnoloji ye-D-Shape ngenjongo yokuvelisa iindawo eziqinileyo ngokuxuba i-magnesium chloride nezinto kunye nokuyidibanisa ne-magnesium oxide efumaneka kwisampuli esilinganisiweyo. Enye yeenzuzo ezibalulekileyo zale nto yenyanga kukulungiswa kwayo okuprintiweyo okucokisekileyo, okwenza ukuba ivelise iindawo ngokuchanekileyo okuphezulu. Olu phawu lunokuba yimpahla ephambili ekwandiseni uluhlu lwezicelo kunye nezinto zokwenza iziseko zelunar zexesha elizayo.
I-Lunar Regolith ikwindawo yonke
Kukwakho ne-Mars regolith, ebhekisa kwizinto ezingaphantsi komhlaba ezifunyenwe kwiMars. Okwangoku, ii-arhente zamazwe ngamazwe zasemkhathini azikwazi ukubuyisa ezi zinto, kodwa oku akuzange kubathintele oososayensi ekuphandeni amandla azo kwiiprojekthi ezithile zeenqwelo-moya. Abaphandi basebenzisa iisampulu ezilinganisiweyo zale nto kwaye bayidibanisa ne-titanium alloy ukuvelisa izixhobo okanye izinto zerokhethi. Iziphumo zokuqala zibonisa ukuba le nto iya kubonelela ngamandla aphezulu kwaye ikhusele izixhobo ekugruleni nasekutshabalaleni kwemitha. Nangona ezi zinto zimbini zineempawu ezifanayo, i-lunar regolith isesona sixhobo sivavanyiweyo kakhulu. Enye inzuzo kukuba ezi zinto zinokwenziwa kwindawo ngaphandle kwesidingo sokuthutha izinto ezikrwada ezivela eMhlabeni. Ukongeza, i-regolith ngumthombo wezinto ongapheliyo, onceda ukuthintela ukunqongophala.
Ukusetyenziswa kwetekhnoloji yokuprinta ye-3D kwishishini leenqwelo moya
Ukusetyenziswa kwetekhnoloji yokuprinta ye-3D kwishishini leenqwelo-moya kunokwahluka ngokuxhomekeke kwinkqubo ethile esetyenzisiweyo. Umzekelo, i-laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) ingasetyenziselwa ukuvelisa iindawo ezintsonkothileyo zexesha elifutshane, njengeenkqubo zezixhobo okanye iindawo ezingasetyenziswayo zesithuba. I-Launcher, inkampani entsha eseCalifornia, isebenzise itekhnoloji yokuprinta ye-3D ye-sapphire-metal ye-Velo3D ukuphucula injini yayo yerokhethi yolwelo ye-E-2. Inkqubo yomenzi yasetyenziselwa ukwenza i-induction turbine, edlala indima ebalulekileyo ekukhawuleziseni nasekuqhubeni i-LOX (i-oksijini yolwelo) kwigumbi lokutsha. I-turbine kunye ne-sensor nganye yaprintwa kusetyenziswa itekhnoloji yokuprinta ye-3D yaze yahlanganiswa. Eli candelo litsha libonelela i-rocket ngokuhamba kolwelo olukhulu kunye nokushukuma okukhulu, okwenza ukuba ibe yinxalenye ebalulekileyo yenjini.
I-Velo3D inegalelo ekusetyenzisweni kwetekhnoloji ye-PBF ekwenzeni injini yerokhethi engamanzi ye-E-2.
Ukwenziwa kwezinto ezongezelelekileyo kunezicelo ezibanzi, kuquka ukuveliswa kwezakhiwo ezincinci nezinkulu. Umzekelo, ubuchwepheshe bokuprinta be-3D obufana nesisombululo se-Relativity Space's Stargate bungasetyenziswa ukuvelisa iindawo ezinkulu ezifana neetanki zepetroli zerokhethi kunye neebhlade zepropeller. I-Relativity Space ikubonakalisile oku ngokuveliswa ngempumelelo kwe-Terran 1, irokhethi eprintiweyo phantse ngokupheleleyo ye-3D, kuquka netanki yepetroli ende eneemitha ezininzi. Ukuqaliswa kwayo okokuqala nge-23 kaMatshi 2023, kubonise ukusebenza kakuhle kunye nokuthembeka kweenkqubo zokwenziwa kwezinto ezongezelelekileyo.
Itekhnoloji yokuprinta ye-3D esekwe kwi-extrusion ikwavumela ukuveliswa kwamacandelo kusetyenziswa izixhobo ezisebenza kakhulu njenge-PEEK. Izinto ezenziwe ngale thermoplastic sele zivavanyiwe esibhakabhakeni kwaye zabekwa kwi-Rashid rover njengenxalenye yomsebenzi wenyanga we-UAE. Injongo yolu vavanyo yayikukuvavanya ukumelana kwe-PEEK kwiimeko eziqatha zenyanga. Ukuba iphumelele, i-PEEK inokukwazi ukutshintsha iindawo zesinyithi kwiimeko apho iindawo zesinyithi zaphuka okanye izinto zinqabile. Ukongeza, iimpawu ze-PEEK ezilula zinokuba luncedo ekuhloleni isibhakabhaka.
Itekhnoloji yokuprinta ye-3D ingasetyenziselwa ukuvelisa iindawo ezahlukeneyo kwishishini leenqwelo-moya.
Iingenelo zokuprinta nge-3D kwishishini leenqwelo moya
Iingenelo zokuprinta nge-3D kwishishini leenqwelo moya ziquka ukubonakala okuphuculweyo kokugqibela kwezixhobo xa kuthelekiswa neendlela zokwakha zemveli. UJohannes Homa, i-CEO yomenzi weprinta ye-3D yase-Austrian uLithoz, uthe "le teknoloji yenza izixhobo zibe lula." Ngenxa yenkululeko yoyilo, iimveliso eziprintiweyo nge-3D zisebenza kakuhle kwaye zifuna izixhobo ezimbalwa. Oku kunempembelelo entle kwimpembelelo yokusingqongileyo yokuveliswa kwezixhobo. I-Relativity Space ibonise ukuba ukwenziwa kwezinto ezongezelelweyo kunokunciphisa kakhulu inani lezixhobo ezifunekayo ukwenza i-spacecraft. Kwi-rocket ye-Terran 1, iindawo ezili-100 zigciniwe. Ukongeza, le teknoloji ineenzuzo ezibalulekileyo kwisantya sokuvelisa, kunye ne-rocket egqitywa ngaphantsi kweentsuku ezingama-60. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, ukuvelisa i-rocket kusetyenziswa iindlela zemveli kunokuthatha iminyaka eliqela.
Ngokuphathelele ulawulo lwezixhobo, ukuprinta nge-3D kunokonga izinto kwaye, kwezinye iimeko, kuvumele nokuphinda kusetyenziswe inkunkuma. Okokugqibela, ukwenziwa kwezinto ezongeziweyo kunokuba yinto ebalulekileyo ekunciphiseni ubunzima bokusuka kweerokethi. Injongo kukusebenzisa kakhulu izinto zasekuhlaleni, ezifana ne-regolith, kunye nokunciphisa ukuthuthwa kwezinto ngaphakathi kweenqwelo-moya. Oku kwenza kube nokwenzeka ukuthwala iprinta ye-3D kuphela, enokudala yonke into kwindawo emva kohambo.
I-Made in Space sele ithumele enye yeeprinta zayo ze-3D kwindawo ukuze ivavanywe.
Imida yokuprinta kwe-3D kwindawo
Nangona ukuprinta nge-3D kuneengenelo ezininzi, ubuchwepheshe busebutsha kwaye bunemida. U-Advenit Makaya uthe, "Enye yeengxaki eziphambili ngokwenziwa kwezinto ezongeziweyo kwishishini leenqwelo-moya kukulawula inkqubo kunye nokuqinisekiswa." Abavelisi banokungena kwilebhu baze bavavanye amandla enxalenye nganye, ukuthembeka, kunye nesakhiwo sayo ngaphambi kokuqinisekiswa, inkqubo eyaziwa ngokuba luvavanyo olungonakalisiyo (NDT). Nangona kunjalo, oku kunokuthatha ixesha kwaye kubize kakhulu, ngoko ke injongo yokugqibela kukunciphisa isidingo sezi mvavanyo. I-NASA isandula ukuseka iziko lokujongana nale ngxaki, igxile ekuqinisekisweni ngokukhawuleza kwezinto zesinyithi ezenziwe yimveliso yokongeza. Iziko lijolise ekusebenziseni amawele edijithali ukuphucula iimodeli zekhompyutha zeemveliso, eziya kunceda iinjineli ziqonde ngcono ukusebenza kunye nemida yeendawo, kubandakanya nokuba zingakanani uxinzelelo ezinokulunyamezela ngaphambi kokuba zaphuke. Ngokwenza njalo, iziko linethemba lokunceda ukukhuthaza ukusetyenziswa kokuprinta nge-3D kwishishini leenqwelo-moya, okwenza kube nempumelelo ngakumbi ekukhuphisaneni neendlela zemveli zokuvelisa.
Ezi zixhobo ziye zavavanywa ngokupheleleyo ukuthembeka kunye namandla azo.
Kwelinye icala, inkqubo yokuqinisekisa yahlukile ukuba imveliso yenziwa esibhakabhakeni. U-Advenit Makaya we-ESA ucacisa athi, "Kukho indlela ebandakanya ukuhlalutya iindawo ngexesha lokuprinta." Le ndlela inceda ekumiseleni ukuba zeziphi iimveliso eziprintiweyo ezifanelekileyo nezingafanelekanga. Ukongeza, kukho inkqubo yokuzilungisa ngokwayo yeeprinta ze-3D ezenzelwe indawo kwaye ivavanywa kwiimashini zesinyithi. Le nkqubo inokuchonga iimpazamo ezinokubakho kwinkqubo yokuvelisa kwaye itshintshe ngokuzenzekelayo iiparameter zayo ukulungisa naziphi na iziphene kwinxalenye. Ezi nkqubo zimbini kulindeleke ukuba ziphucule ukuthembeka kweemveliso eziprintiweyo esibhakabhakeni.
Ukuqinisekisa izisombululo zokuprinta ze-3D, i-NASA kunye ne-ESA zimise imigangatho. Le migangatho ibandakanya uthotho lweemvavanyo zokufumanisa ukuthembeka kwamacandelo. Bacinga ngetekhnoloji yokudibanisa ibhedi yomgubo kwaye bayayihlaziya ukuze isetyenziselwe ezinye iinkqubo. Nangona kunjalo, abadlali abaninzi abaphambili kushishino lwezinto, njenge-Arkema, i-BASF, i-Dupont, kunye ne-Sabic, nabo babonelela ngale ndlela yokulandeleka.
Ukuhlala esithubeni?
Ngokuphucuka kwetekhnoloji yokuprinta ye-3D, sibone iiprojekthi ezininzi eziphumeleleyo eMhlabeni ezisebenzisa obu buchwepheshe ukwakha izindlu. Oku kusenza sizibuze ukuba le nkqubo ingasetyenziswa kwixesha elizayo okanye elikude ukwakha izakhiwo ezinokuhlala abantu esibhakabhakeni. Nangona ukuhlala esibhakabhakeni kungenakwenzeka okwangoku, ukwakha izindlu, ingakumbi enyangeni, kunokuba luncedo kwizazinzulu zeenkwenkwezi ekwenzeni imisebenzi yasesibhakabhakeni. Injongo ye-European Space Agency (ESA) kukwakha iidome enyangeni kusetyenziswa i-lunar regolith, enokusetyenziselwa ukwakha iindonga okanye izitena ukukhusela izazinzulu kwimitha. Ngokutsho kuka-Advenit Makaya wase-ESA, i-lunar regolith yenziwe malunga ne-60% yesinyithi kunye ne-40% ye-oxygen kwaye zizinto ezibalulekileyo zokusinda kwezazinzulu zeenkwenkwezi kuba zinokubonelela ngomthombo ongapheliyo we-oxygen ukuba ikhutshwe kwezi zinto.
I-NASA inike i-ICON isibonelelo se-$57.2 yezigidi ngokuphuhlisa inkqubo yokuprinta ye-3D yokwakha izakhiwo kumphezulu wenyanga kwaye ikwasebenzisana nenkampani ukudala indawo yokuhlala yeMars Dune Alpha. Injongo kukuvavanya iimeko zokuhlala eMars ngokuba nabantu abazivolontiya abahlala kwindawo yokuhlala unyaka omnye, belinganisa iimeko kwiRed Planet. Le mizamo imele amanyathelo abalulekileyo ekwakheni ngokuthe ngqo izakhiwo eziprintiweyo ze-3D enyangeni naseMars, ezinokuthi ekugqibeleni zivule indlela yokuba abantu bangene esibhakabhakeni.
Kwixesha elizayo elikude, ezi zindlu zinokwenza ubomi bukwazi ukusinda esibhakabhakeni.
Ixesha lokuthumela: Juni-14-2023
