The Korea Institute of Industrial Technology recently announced an incredible breakthrough in the world of additive manufacturing (aka 3D printing) and its practical application in the space industry. In a joint project led by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), KP Aviation Industries, Hanyang University, and AM Solutions, the group managed to 3D print a fuel tank out of titanium that was able to pass a critical durability test, as reported by Popular Science. It seems that things are ramping up when it comes to getting space-ready 3D printed objects. It was just last week that another team showcased their efforts in getting 3D printed components to pass crucial tests for space travel. In that situation, the 3D printed pieces were coated before passing particle contamination tests. This is different from this project, in which the researchers have created metal-based components that are passing tests for durability. The team decided to work on 3D printing a fuel tank, which has high-performance requirements when it comes to the ability to withstand pressure. Typically, tanks are forged using molds that titanium alloys can be poured into. This is great for reproducing the same piece over and over again, but much harder to adapt for custom designs. The ability to 3D print a fuel tank out of metal that is strong enough to withstand the pressure requirements for space launch is a huge step in enabling private and one-off space tech.

Full report : Scientists 3D print titanium fuel tank for space travel — world’s first to pass critical durability test.