NASA 3D Printing Process Animation Challenge - Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication - Sarah Halabieh & Mingfei (Doris) Ye

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NASA Project Showcases 3D Printing Process Animation for Human-Rated SpacecraftsThe NASA Challenge project, by Sarah Halabieh and Mingfei (Doris) Ye, focuses on the Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication (EBFF) method for manufacturing Orion pressure vessel structures and employing additive manufacturing decomposition technology for heat shield protection. They chose EBFF due to its versatility and adaptability in various environments, such as vacuum or ambient conditions. EBFF has also been extensively researched by NASA, making it a suitable choice for this application.The robot arm design features two circular-track arms, each with four degrees of freedom controlled by rollers and motor-embedded track. The unique extruder includes the spray bar, electron emission head, and filament feed head, operated by hydraulic actuators for precise motion. During manufacturing, the electron emission and filament feed heads create the Orion pressure vessel while the spray bar activates for heat shield material application. This design streamlines manufacturing processes by allowing multiple steps to occur simultaneously in a single location. Two animations have been produced demonstrating EBFF's pressure vessel manufacturing process and additive spray for heat shield applications.