Roboze 3D printing technology has been selected by the University of Colorado Boulder to produce components for a CubeSat project.
The CubeSat is being developed by the Lightning, Atmosphere, Ionosphere and Radiation Belt (LAIR) research team inside the university’s Aerospace Engineering Sciences department. Set to launch into space in the first half of 2022, it will spend at least six months in orbit to measure electromagnetic waves emitted by lightning discharges on the earth’s surface. The project commenced two years ago in spring 2019.
With strict mass and volume limitations, plus its small size, 3D printing was selected ahead of conventional methods for the manufacture of critical components. Roboze’s 3D printing technology was opted for because of its high-performance polymer capabilities. With this technology, the LAIR research team will produce the CubeSat’s magnetic field sensor holders.
“Because we are so constrained by mass, 3D printing was the ideal solution for our CubeSat,” commented Vicki Knoer, one of the researchers in the project. “Roboze allowed us to meet the requirements of the project by guiding us in choosing the most suitable material and in the optimisation of the parts to minimise mass. We are very satisfied with the results we are achieving.”
“Thanks to extraordinary mechanical properties as well as high thermal and chemical resistance, 3D printing is rapidly replacing metal in a wide variety of extreme end-use applications including aerospace, mobility and energy,” added Roboze CEO and founder Alessio Lorusso. “It was an honour and a real privilege to collaborate with the LAIR group on this project. They are one of the pioneers in the use of additive technology in this field and giving our support to the realisation of their mission makes me extremely proud.”
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