CeraFab Multi 2M30 installed at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Ceramic components offer the rare combination of high strength-to-weight ratios and extreme heat and corrosion resistance demanded by many aerospace applications. Add 3D printing into the mix and you get strong, lightweight components boasting complex geometries not achievable with conventional manufacturing.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is seeking to make the most of these properties with the installation of a Lithoz CeraFab Multi 2M30 ceramic printer at its Daytona Beach Campus, the first such installation in the United States. What makes this particular 3D printer unique, according to Lithoz, is its ability to combine multiple ceramics as well as ceramic and metal in a single build.
Embry-Riddle will use the system to develop new lunar exploration systems, among other aerospace and energy applications. More specifically, the university’s researchers will use the 3D printer to develop wear-resistant coatings and functional sensors.
This news comes in a joint announcement from Embry-Riddle and Lithoz at the International Conference on Advanced Ceramics and Composites.
“The Lithoz CeraFab Multi 2M30 enables our researchers to manufacture ceramics with intricate geometric features across scales with remarkable precision,” said Seetha Raghavan, professor of aerospace engineering at Embry-Riddle, in a press release. “Its capability to print combinations of ceramics tailored for specific needs is pivotal in accelerating material design.”
Students working on the Ceramic Research Advancement Technology Project (CRATER) at Embry-Riddle have already used the CeraFab Multi as part of their efforts in NASA’s Human Lander Challenge (HulC). Using the Lithoz 3D printer, the team developed bio-inspired ceramic patterns designed to mitigate dust adhesion on the lunar surface. These we modeled after hydrophobic surfaces which appear in nature, such as lotus leaves.
