Recently Alba Orbital’s AlbaPod V2 hyped up for its unique design, lightweight, easily integration into space launch vehicles, maintenance of the demanding quality standards for space. These characteristics have also made possible thanks to the use of AM and Windform XT 2.0 Carbon composite material
The European Space Agency (ESA) dedicated an article on Alba Orbital’s cutting edge 3D printed satellite dispenser, AlbaPod V2, manufactured by CRP Technology using laser sintering technology and their patented Windform XT 2.0 Carbon-reinforced composite material.
AlbaPod V2 is currently the only operational, flight proven PocketQube Deployer on the market. In a few days 3D printed AlbaPod V2 will take 9 satellites to orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle. It will be the largest PocketQube launch in history to date.
The article reported that Barnaby Osborne, Technical Officer of the ARTES project at ESA, says: “The lightweight, unique design of AlbaPod V2 can be easily integrated into any launch vehicle.”
And again: “Alba Orbital have made extensive use of 3D printing to lower the cost of the deployer, while still maintaining the demanding quality standards required for space.”
It is also highlighted that “Alba Orbital managed to reduce the weight of the AlbaPod by using aluminium and Windform XT 2.0, a ground-breaking 3-D printing material.”
“The most innovative aspect of the project was – a caption reported – the sheer number of components that are now produced through additive manufacturing, not only was the shell redesigned using 3D printing, but also the moving ejection mechanism and door assembly.”
All these parts were manufactured by CRP Technology in their plant in Modena, Italy.
“We are very proud – commented Engineer Franco Cevolini, VP and CTO CRP Technology – for us this article is a further, unequivocal proof of the successful use of Windform and AM supplied by CRP Technology in the manufacturing of flight-ready applications for the aerospace industry. We paved new roads in technological innovations for the most demanding industries and still do it, with passion and expertise.”
The CRP Technology’s technical knowledge in the aerospace sector, that allowed them to became one of the most important supplier of professional 3D printing solutions for the most demanding industries, is based on the strong relationship with CRP USA, the CRP Technology’s US-based partner.
Indeed, CRP USA’s built up considerable experience supplying cutting edge solutions for space key industry leaders that chose to manufacture in the Windform TOP-LINE family of composite materials for SLS, gathering the interest of the most important bodies involved in space engineering.
Just to cite few examples of 3D printed applications in Windform manufactured by CRP USA: the TuPOD, the first complete 3D printed satellite deployer launched from the ISS, a unique 3D printed 3U CubeSat and a dispensing system for two tube satellites; the Discovery 1a, the first pocketqube space-ready functional prototype manufactured using Windform XT 2.0 Carbon-reinforced composite material and AM.
Source: CRP
