Fleet Space Technologies has launched its expanded manufacturing facility and new state-of-the-art 3D printer.

The new technology is a significant boost to Fleet Space’s capabilities, enabling the development and manufacture of new products in-house and paving the way for its fully 3D-printed Alpha satellite.

Flavia Tata Nardini, chief executive officer and founder of Fleet Space Technologies said that bringing 3D printing capability entirely in-house increases efficiency from design to production, makes the whole process more cost-effective, and by being fully autonomous, eliminates delays in shipping and sourcing.

The 3D printer is the centrepiece of Fleet Space’s newly extended manufacturing facility in Adelaide, South Australia, which now employs over 80 staff.

Supplied by Konica Minolta, the new machine uses direct metal printing (DMP) technology, in which a laser welds thin layers of metal powder to produce highly complex metal parts. DMP provides unlimited design flexibility and overcomes many of the geometry and surface retention limitations imposed by traditional manufacturing techniques.

The 3D printer will initially be used to produce the S-Band Antenna RF Patches already in use in the company’s existing satellite constellations. These antennas receive and transmit signals between the constellations in Low Earth Orbit, and portals and modems on the ground.

In the future, engineers will use it to produce structural parts for its new-generation Alpha satellite to optimise weight and increase vertical integration.

By reducing turnaround times and enabling low-risk prototyping, the also 3D printer enables more efficient research and development in areas such as filters and other passive RF components.

“We’re capitalising on our existing knowledge and experience of 3D printing antennas and structural components. And this is just the starting point. As our engineers explore and understand the full potential of 3D printing, we’ll be able to use it to develop new designs and produce circuit boards and other electrical components.

It’s also another significant step towards our goal of producing a fully 3D-printed Alpha satellite. The 3D printer is bringing us a step closer to mass production of our 288-satellite constellation where we estimate to produce 4-8 satellites every month,” Nardini explained.

For over 55 years, Manufacturers’ Monthly has lead and informed Australia’s manufacturing industries with its highly credible editorial environment and its acclaimed analysis of issues affecting manufacturing