BEAMIT Has Produced Parts Using Additive Manufacturing for NASA’s Cygnus Program

Italian company BEAMIT, a leading Italian service bureau and supplier of Metal Additive Manufacturing solutions, has announced that it will supply NASA-qualified AlSi7Mg 3D printed parts for the International Space Station (ISS). More specifically, the company will participate in the Cygnus program that aims to supply the ISS and advance space exploration. The move continues to highlight NASA’s commitment to metal additive manufacturing in particular, especially for projects in outer space.

The Cygnus program is a project that enables the refueling of the ISS via spacecraft that have regularly carried cargo essential to its operation since 2013. These ships have enabled the successful completion of essential scientific experiments at the space station, significantly increasing the ability to conduct new investigations in zero gravity and paving the way for the revival of space exploration, including for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Missions also include those studying the use of 3D printing in space, including looking into the use of rock and soil found on the surface of planetary bodies, such as the Moon, notably testing if it would be able to make shelters.

Photo Credits: Epa/Nasa

As part of this project, BEAMIT was able to provide essential 3D printed components using Laser Powder Bed Fusion. These are AlSi7Mg components that are NADCAP-certified and exceed NASA’s minimum material requirements, especially for fatigue data. This is no small achievement for technology advances in space applications.