Central Florida – March 1, 2016 – SME and its RAPID event worked with Lockheed Martin, FARO Technologies, Inc., Direct Dimensions, Inc., Met-L-Flo, Inc., Florida Institute of Technology and Cincinnati Inc. to take the first-ever 3D scan of the Orion crew module, which will later be 3D printed into small-scale replicas. Today the companies 3D scanned a model of the Orion spacecraft on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is built to take humans farther into space than they’ve ever gone before. Orion will serve as the exploration vehicle that will carry astronauts to deep space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain and protect the crew, and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. Orion will launch on NASA’s new heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System.
(left) The Orion spacecraft replica, which is housed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, will be 3D scanned on March 1. (right) 3D laser scanning the Orion pressure capsule with the FARO Focus3D X 330 Laser at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center (Photos courtesy of SME)
“Additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies are widely used to produce aerospace and other high-performance products,” said Carl Dekker, president of Met-L-Flo. “It is exciting that we are using 3D scanning and additive manufacturing to reproduce 3D models of the Orion—a spacecraft which may carry these technologies to other planets.”
FARO conducted a 3D laser scan of an Orion spacecraft model, while Direct Dimensions will be responsible for the file that is prepared and then 3D printed by Met-L-Flo. Met-L-Flo will print approximately 150 small-scale replicas of the Orion spacecraft to be displayed and used as giveaways at SME’s 3D technology event, RAPID. Students from Florida Tech participated in the scan and discussed how the next generation of manufacturing professionals are being educated on advanced manufacturing technology and applications.
“We have really enjoyed partnering with SME on this exciting project. Being among the first people to even see the pressure capsule and being able to host the first-ever 3D scan of the spacecraft is an important part in NASA’s journey to Mars,” said Alyse Cohen, Education Events & Competitions, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Cincinnati Inc. will be using their Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) technology to print an Orion replica in several large pieces and assemble onsite at RAPID 2016.
To learn more about additive manufacturing and 3D technologies, visit sme.org/additive-manufacturing-glossary.
About RAPID
For more than 25 years, the RAPID Conference & Exposition, produced by SME, has defined the crucial role of additive manufacturing and empowered the establishment of an industry that continues to conceive, test, improve and manufacture new products at a faster, more cost-efficient pace. As the leader and authority figure in additive manufacturing, RAPID attracts buyers, sellers and end-users of design, prototyping, tooling and direct digital technologies to a world-class event for discovery, innovation and networking. For more information, please visit rapid3devent.com.