Out Of This World Performance!

A global aerospace company uses Additive Manufacturing for the production of satellite parts

The literal translation of the word satellite (companion) does not come close to explaining how complex these technical devices are and what they do for our daily lives. Their tasks range from weather forecast to message transport and navigation information. The Airbus Defence and Space division is one of the world’s leading suppliers of satellite and space transport technology. Its Spanish subsidiary is part of the satellite business and the largest aerospace company in its home market.

The portfolio ranges from satellite systems to components for the International Space Station ISS. A competence centre for composite materials is also located at the headquarters in Madrid – because innovative materials and production methods play an important role in the aerospace industry. The requirements for the devices are particularly high because of the tremendous temperature differences and external forces involved. To achieve the best results in component manufacturing, Airbus Defence and Space relies, among other things, on Additive Manufacturing technology by the German company EOS.

Challenge

The current generation of satellites includes specific brackets that serve as a link between the body of the satellite and the reflectors and feeder facilities mounted at its upper end. The engineers at Airbus Defence and Space faced two key challenges with regards to the construction of these retaining brackets: on the one hand, the brackets must fix the securely to the body. On the other hand, however, the task of the brackets is to mitigate the extreme temperature fluctuations in space. The brackets are very important as a layer of insulation: the temperature ranges from –180 to +150 °C, so the stress on the material is extremely high.