Private space launch corporations INNOSPACE is accelerating business expansion in advanced manufacturing by commercializing, for the first time in Korea, an innovative process that can metal additively manufacture (3D print) high-precision titanium parts without support structures.
INNOSPACE said on the 9th that it has secured a new process technology that can produce complex curved metal parts more efficiently, and that it is moving in earnest to target the high value-added parts market in the space and defense sectors based on this.
In conventional metal additive manufacturing processes, it is common to install internal support structures to prevent shape deformation. However, this step increases post-processing work and delays production time, and it has been cited as a limitation that reduces design freedom.
By contrast, INNOSPACE applied high-difficulty process control technology to achieve stable quality without support structures even in existing laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) equipment environments.
INNOSPACE supplied the high-precision, high-reliability parts produced through this process to a domestic space and aviation corporations in Dec. last year, completing real-world application and verification. According to the company, compared with conventional methods, the process significantly reduced post-processing steps to cut manufacturing time by 2.5 times, and confirmed an effect of reducing expense by up to 40%.
A higher degree of design freedom is also a strength. With more flexible shape implementation now possible, parts have been lightened and performance improved, thereby laying the foundation to supply the high-reliability parts required in space transportation and defense more stably.
This technology is characterized by the ability to efficiently produce structures with high manufacturing difficulty, such as spherical or dome shapes, in terms of time and expense. It is also significant in that INNOSPACE has connected the technological capabilities accumulated during the development of the "Hanbit" space launch vehicle to an actual manufacturing business.
Chief Executive Kim Su-jong of INNOSPACE said, "The advanced metal manufacturing industry requires high technological barriers to entry and strict quality verification standards, and whether core technologies are secured determines business scalability and profitability," adding, "INNOSPACE will leverage its deep-tech capabilities based on additive manufacturing accumulated during the launch vehicle development process to expand into high value-added parts markets such as space and defense and satellite structures, and move to strengthen global competitiveness."