Orienspace, a leader in the commercial spaceflight industry, has successfully launched its Gravity-1 Y-1 commercial carrier rocket – carrying the Yunyao-1 No. 18-20 satellites into their predetermined orbits. Bright Laser Technologies (BLT), known for its advanced metal additive manufacturing (AM) capabilities, was a crucial contributor to this success and played a pivotal role in developing critical components for the rocket.
The Gravity-1 Y-1’s main bundle-related components are characterized by their large size and complex geometries, making them particularly susceptible to deformation. Traditional manufacturing methods face several challenges with these components, including high processing difficulty, extended production cycles, and poor material utilization. However, the adoption of Laser Solid Forming (LSF) technology by BLT enabled the rapid fabrication of these large, structurally intricate components.
The technology BLT used to produce the components allows for near-net shaping of large-sized complex-shaped components – significantly reducing both the production cycle and costs. The utilization of TC11 titanium alloy in these parts ensured reliable room temperature tensile mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of ≥1060 MPa and a yield strength of ≥885 MPa. By employing multiple machines for simultaneous printing, BLT successfully produced over 30 main bundle-related components in batch – maintaining high consistency in quality performance.
The aerospace industry has been trending towards components that are larger, more complex, and have integrated structural functionalities. Metal 3D printing technology, as mastered by BLT, plays a significant role in expediting the development and iteration of these aerospace components. BLT has made substantial advancements in various processes like Selective Laser Melting (SLM), LSF, and Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) – aiding commercial aerospace clients like Orienspace, i-Space, and LandSpace in achieving their space aspirations.
BLT now boasts a customer base of over 30 companies within the commercial aerospace sector. The company provides an array of services, including optimized design, technical consultation, parts development, and equipment matching.
