Aerojet Rocketdyne太空发射系统副总裁Steve Bouley，描述他们如何赢得这一订单：“我们在过去的四年开发并成功地应用3D打印制造零部件，但机器的加工尺寸一直被限制在10英寸的立方体内。我们开发的新一代3D打印系统大小是以往的六倍左右，使我们有更多的自由度来生产火箭发动机组件。我们非常荣幸的获得了这个合同，并预见到有一天当增材制造发动机送入轨道，这是更有效的且具有成本效益的引擎。”

在喷气火箭推力，Aerojet Rocketdyne的增才制造项目经理说，“我们的液体火箭发动机已经使用了半个世纪，通过增材制造这一高效和复杂的部件被证明是安全可靠的，是无与伦比的。增材制造技术的进步将推动这些发动机的生产。”

Aerojet Rocketdyne使用的增材制造材料包括铜、镍和铝合金，并用于换热器的生产，所有的3D印刷在全规模。3D打印技术在金属零件制造的发展可能会最终取代铸件、锻件、电镀，CNC机床加工，焊接等工序。”

（3D科学谷编译自3dprintingindustry, 欢迎转载并链接至：www.51chape.com)

该项目小组也成功将总体的设计和制造时间从一年多减少到几个月，将引擎的成本减少了65%。这个引擎测试是Aerojet Rocketdyne多年的增材制造开发计划的一部分。早在2013年，NASA和Aerojet Rocketdyne就完成了由选择性激光熔化制造技术制成的火箭引擎喷射器的测试，他们采用的技术是高能激光束融化的方法设计制造了喷射器。

这种类型的喷射器用传统工艺制作的话需要超过一年的时间才能完成，但有了这些新的技术，它可以在不到四个月的时间内就能生产出来，降低了70%的成本。Aerojet Rocketdyne声称，该技术可能会带来火箭引擎能更高效地进行生产的新时代，并且节省时间和金钱。

（3D科学谷编译自3ders, 欢迎转载并链接至：www.51chape.com)

Aerojet Rocketdyne successfully tests engine, 3D printed in just three parts

“The demonstration of this engine, made completely with additive manufacturing, is another significant milestone in our path to changing propulsion affordability,” said Jay Littles, director of Advanced Launch Propulsion Programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne. “We are not just making a stand-alone chamber or injector derived from traditional design approaches. Rather, we are integrating the full capability of additive manufacturing processes to evolve a proven, reliable, affordable design. We are doing so with technical depth and rigor to meet our unparalleled quality and safety requirements.”

The team also was able to reduce total design and manufacturing time from more than a year to a couple of months, and reduce the cost of the engine by approximately 65 percent. This engine test was part of a multi-year Aerojet Rocketdyne additive manufacturing development effort. In 2013, NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne finished testing a rocket engine injector made through selective laser melting manufacturing technology. Aerojet Rocketdyne designed and fabricated the injector by a method that employs high-powered laser beams to melt and fuse fine metallic powders into three dimensional structures.

This type of injector manufactured with traditional processes would take more than a year to make, but with these new processes it can be produced in less than four months, with a 70 percent reduction in cost.

It is claimed the technology may lead to more efficient manufacturing of rocket engines, saving American companies time and money.

（3D科学谷编译自3ders, 欢迎转载并链接至：www.51chape.com)