February 2024

Momentum header 2024
Product Update

A6061-RAM2 sets significant milestone; NASA to share RAMFIRE data and process with commercial stakeholders and academia.

NASA continues to add to the United States’ ability to reimagine the future of rocket engine technology by accelerating the advancement of lightweight rocket nozzle production with unconventional means. The recent successful conclusion of NASA’s Reactive Additive Manufacturing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (RAMFIRE) project has established the viability of additive manufacturing (AM) aluminum rocket nozzles with A6061-RAM2 powder.

The completion of multiple aluminum nozzle hot-fire tests is a giant leap in space travel, but equally important is the data collected. The significance of interjecting the knowledge and experience gained from NASA’s funding and the successful collaboration with other partners in the ACO RAMFIRE project will certainly influence future AM innovations beyond rocket propulsion.

Ebsd Images Of A6061-Ram2 For Ramfire

Elementum 3D was honored to be a part of the RAMFIRE project. Having the opportunity to work closely with NASA engineers and scientists and RPM Innovations made for early successes in the development of an aluminum material feedstock capable of printing in a large blown powder DED format. Although the final demonstration was an actual hot-fire tests of the rocket nozzle with liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen and liquid methane/liquid oxygen, the scope of the project also included microstructure analysis (EBSD, BSE, EDS), tensile behavior at different temperatures (-195 °C, 21 °C, 100 °C, 200°C, 300 °C, 400 °C), and fatigue behavior at different temperatures (-195 °C, 21 °C, 100 °C, 200°C). Showing that the thermal and mechanical properties of A6061-RAM2 can be used to design a regeneratively cooled rocket nozzle using blown powder DED additive manufacturing brings incredible confidence to this material and its versatility.

The research data acquired from the optimization of A6061-RAM2 aluminum alloy for large blown powder DED will inspire commercial space companies and organizations outside of aerospace to view additive manufacturing as an effective option to elevate application performance, reduce part complexity costs, and encourage part consolidation. Ultimately, NASA’s long-term goal is to cultivate innovative technologies, such as AM, and collaborate with other industries to make the resulting data and expertise available to all AM enthusiasts. 

COPPER
COPPER
COPPER
COPPER
COPPER
COPPER

Patrick Callard Chief Marketing Officer

Patrick Callard earned a B.B.A. in advertising from Western Michigan University in 1990. He provides over 30 years of experience in marketing communications, new business development and market outreach.
He has managed multiple marketing projects and budgets for a variety of services and products.

Patrick also successfully grew an IT consulting business from a two-man basement business to a profitable eight employee business in 4-years. Patrick’s daily focus is to unify customer experience, brand purpose, creative communication, and marketing technology to drive the growth of the business.

Tyler Blumenthal

Tyler Blumenthal

Sales Manager, RPM Innovations, Inc.

Tyler’s message will key on blown powder Directed Energy Deposition (L-DED) for AM and repair and why this process is being realized by industry as one of the key pillars in printing thin wall part structures and large part envelope requirements.

Shawn Allan

Shawn Allan

Vice President, Lithoz America, LLC

Shawn will reveal how Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM) is producing high resolution, high performance technical ceramics that can serve a wide range of applications and structural materials, such as alumina, zirconia, and silicon nitride. He will also touch on how LCM has progressed into multi-material components incorporating ceramics and metals.

Jeff Lints

Jeff Lints

Founder/CEO, Fortius Metals, Inc.

Jeff’s presentation will focus on the advances in wire DED, including welding processes for wire DED (arc, laser, and e-beam), next-generation alloys for large format metal 3D printing, and use cases that can benefit from replacing large forgings, replacing large machined billets, and producing advanced tooling — enabling next generation designs.

Dr. Jacob Nuechterlein

President/Founder Elementum 3D

Dr. Jacob Nuechterlein is the founder and president of Elementum 3D in Erie, CO. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy at the Colorado School of Mines. Jacob has been researching, teaching, or consulting on topics such as casting and powder metallurgy for the last 14 years. Elementum 3D’s work with powder bed laser additive manufacturing is based on these principles. In addition, is thesis work in thermodynamics and formation kinetics of metal matrix composites is directly related to all 3D printing processes.