Microlaunchers are an alternative to conventional launch vehicles. Able to carry payloads of up to 350 kilograms, these midsized transport systems are designed to launch small satellites into space. Researchers at the Fraunhofer IWS and the TU in Dresden developed an additively manufactured rocket engine with an aerospike nozzle for microlaunchers. The scaled metal prototype is expected to consume 30 percent less fuel than conventional engines on the way to orbit.

In an extensive development project from the automotive industry, funded by the BMBF in AGENT-3D, it once again became clear that x-ray computed tomography is much more than a technology for non-destructive material testing. Moreover, CT supports in research & development as well as in the elaboration of production processes and helps to save time and money.

Thanks to most recent developments, computed tomography (CT) is now an affordable and efficient
technology for non-destructive testing of workpieces made of a vast variety of materials. While digital radiography provides two-dimensional fluoroscopic images, computed tomography typically rotates the object between the X-ray tube and the flat-panel detector 360° and captures several hundred to well over a thousand X-ray images from various angles.

The growth of the orthopedics market poses a huge opportunity for Industrial Computed Tomography (CT) as a quality inspection tool for this highly regulated industry, where quality and safety are of the utmost importance. This article published in the recent Medial Design Briefs magazine explores how CT can be a valuable tool for design and quality engineers to help them ensure their critical products meet and exceed regulatory standards, and also details the benefits of CT for additive manufacturing.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is one of the most revolutionary processes to come along in many years, making a dramatic impact on the industrial market. Also known as 3D printing, AM is a manufacturing technique that builds objects layer by layer using materials such as polymers, metals, and composites. This fast-evolving technology is changing the way engineers think about product design by offering enormous flexibility in what is geometrically possible. However, the more complex the design, the more challenging (and necessary) it can be to inspect in the quality control process.

Additive manufacturing processes have been incorporated into many industries in recent years and play a major role especially in the aviation and automotive industries. Formula 1 is an important technology driver for both of these sectors and is responsible for the development of innovative components of new materials. Renault F1 Team presents examples where Computer Tomography is a tool in research and development.

Starting out mainly as a prototyping technology Additive Manufacturing (AM) gained tremendous momentum for  use in industrial applications over the last 5 years. For highly demanding functional parts, laser beam powder bed fusion (LB-PBF) became the most dominant AM technology.