A 3D titanium printing company in Auckland has worked with satellite manufacturers to print 260 titanium parts of spacecraft

Zenith Tecnica, an Auckland based 3D titanium printing company, is celebrating its five-year partnership with satellite manufacturer maxar technologies and has printed 260 titanium components for the company's satellite 3D printing. Since 2016, maxar technologies has built and launched five spacecraft equipped with zenith Tecnica 3D printing components, and another 270 additive manufacturing components are currently being produced on eight other satellites.

Since its establishment in 2014, zenith Tecnica has become one of the world's most productive e-beam molten metal 3D printing services. The company used the EBM printer of ARCAM AB, a subsidiary of Ge additive, added the third and fourth machines in 2015 and two Q10 plus systems in 2019.

Arcam's patented EBM process allows to raise the construction platform and chamber temperature without post print heat treatment stress relief. One of the unique advantages of EBM technology is that the process is carried out in vacuum, eliminating the possibility of gas pollution.

Zenith Tecnica uses its arcam machine to produce 3D printed metal aircraft parts during its ongoing cooperation with Air New Zealand. The company 3D prints the metal frame of wine inflators, cocktail trays and on-board entertainment screens for the interior of Air New Zealand aircraft. In 2016, zenith Tecnica was qualified to produce unmanned space components. Two years later, its first satellite component was put into orbit.

Zenith and maxar's ongoing partnership
Using Zenith Tecnica's Titanium 3D printing function, the company's customers can optimize the hardware and thermal characteristics of parts designed for specific satellite features and payloads. Zenith Tecnica's 3D printing technology realizes the design that can not be realized by traditional manufacturing methods, and can provide parts with lighter weight, less hardware and longer on orbit life.

Maxar technologies was an early adopter of additive manufacturing and established the additive Excellence Center in 2012. After verification and qualification, zenith Tecnica's EBM titanium material and process have obtained flight qualification. In 2016, the first batch of EBM titanium components were put into orbit. Titanium satellite parts are 3D printed using zenith Tecnica's arcam EBM machine prior to heat treatment and machining of key assembly features. A 3D scan is then performed to ensure that all parts meet specifications.

It is reported that since the introduction of zenith Tecnica's additive manufacturing capacity for the production of spacecraft components, maxar technologies has seen a number of benefits, including improved planning flexibility, reduced manufacturing costs and improved satellite performance.

During the cooperation period, the two companies have jointly launched five spacecraft with 260 3D printing titanium parts, and the two companies have another 270 additional 3D printing parts, which are producing and assembling eight other satellites.