{"id":61003,"date":"2024-11-14T16:00:49","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T15:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/?p=61003"},"modified":"2024-11-14T13:30:49","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T12:30:49","slug":"application-of-the-month-sab-aerospace-3d-printed-rocket-nozzle-141120245","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/application-of-the-month-sab-aerospace-3d-printed-rocket-nozzle-141120245\/","title":{"rendered":"Application of the Month: 3D-Printed Rocket Nozzles Made Using DED"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/what-is-additive-manufacturing\/\">Additive manufacturing<\/a> has profoundly changed the design, testing and production process for parts used in the aerospace sector. This industry benefits not only from reduced production times, but also from improved characteristics of the parts manufactured. In this context, SAB Aerospace has developed the first demonstration model of one of its rocket nozzles, using Prima Additive&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/directed-energy-deposition-ded-3d-printing-guide-100920194\/\">DED<\/a> (directed energy deposition) technology.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In keeping with Prima Additive&#8217;s philosophy, <em>&#8220;Crafting the Future of Space One Layer at a Time,&#8221;<\/em> this nozzle design represents a breakthrough for the conduct of space missions. Indeed, the rocket nozzle is an essential part of the engine. It is mainly used to channel the hot gases generated during fuel combustion. The integration of DED technology brings an improvement to nozzle manufacturing. This process, which used to be complex and often time-consuming, is now more efficient thanks to this method. But why choose this technology?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-86922 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/technology_ded.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>SAB Aerospace Relies on Inconel\u00ae and 3D Printing for Rocket Nozzles<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">SAB Aerospace has adopted DED technology to simplify the manufacturing of large metal parts. Unlike processes such as SLS or FDM, which require a closed chamber and are limited by its dimensions, DED enables large parts to be produced without being restricted by the size of the machine.<\/p><div class=\"dnati-inside-article-leaderboard\" style=\"text-align: center;\" id=\"dnati-4108226922\"><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/webinar\/register\/3717757396787\/WN_sBfwcCHoQSq1mEANYpWa6Q\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"LB (3)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/LB-3.gif\" alt=\"\"  width=\"850\" height=\"150\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">To manufacture the nozzle, SAB Aerospace uses Prima Additive&#8217;s Laserdyne 795XL metal printer, equipped with DED technology. With a manufacturing volume exceeding one cubic meter, this machine produces large, highly complex parts, combining speed, precision and efficiency. Usually, a rocket nozzle requires the assembly of thousands of parts. But thanks to 3D printing, SAB Aerospace can now manufacture this nozzle in a single piece, simplifying the design and significantly reducing production times.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The rocket nozzle is also made of Inconel\u00ae, a material renowned for its strength. This nickel-based material, alloyed with chromium and iron, is a registered trademark of Special Metals Corporation. It enables us to produce a nozzle that is lighter and more efficient than conventional models. This is important for long-distance space missions, where weight is an essential factor. Indeed, in the field of space exploration, lightening every component is important.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_86928\" style=\"width: 710px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-86928\" class=\"wp-image-86928 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/iconel.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"400\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-86928\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Inconel\u00ae material<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Inconel\u00ae is also appreciated in the aerospace sector for its resistance to corrosion and its ability to withstand variations in temperature and pressure, properties which are essential for its use in space. Thanks to its thermal properties, Inconel\u00ae can withstand temperatures up to 40% higher than those borne by conventional alloys.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Indeed, it excels in high-temperature environments, notably between 500\u00b0 to 600\u00b0F (260\u00b0 and 316\u00b0C), and can withstand even higher temperatures, ranging from 1200\u00b0 to 1400\u00b0F (649\u00b0 to 760\u00b0C). By choosing 3D printing as a technology and adopting these latest-generation materials, initiatives like SAB Aerospace&#8217;s are paving the way for new advances. The SAB Aerospace nozzle also incorporates internal micro-channels directly into its structure, providing thermal regulation to avoid the risk of overheating in extreme propulsion conditions.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-61010 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/EN-8.jpg\" alt=\"SAB Aerospace Prima Additive\" width=\"700\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/EN-8.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/EN-8-600x343.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/EN-8-160x91.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What do you think of the use of DED technology for rocket nozzles? Let us know in a comment below or on our<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/4987104\/\">\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/3Dnatives\/\">\u00a0Facebook<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/3Dnatives\/\">Twitter<\/a>\u00a0pages! Don\u2019t forget to sign up for our free weekly<a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/3d-printing-newsletter\/\">\u00a0Newsletter here<\/a>, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCMWrNpdLOXa7BffRKXZoaZw\">\u00a0YouTube<\/a>\u00a0channel.<\/p>\n<p><em>*All Photo Credits: SAB Aerospace\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"dnati-after-content\" id=\"dnati-3655545960\"><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/amcoe.org\/event\/design-for-additive-manufacturing-design-at-elevation\/\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"DfAM course-850&#215;150\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DfAM-course-850x150-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DfAM-course-850x150-1.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DfAM-course-850x150-1-600x106.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DfAM-course-850x150-1-768x136.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/DfAM-course-850x150-1-160x28.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" width=\"850\" height=\"150\"   \/><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Additive manufacturing has profoundly changed the design, testing and production process for parts used in the aerospace sector. This industry benefits not only from reduced production times, but also from improved characteristics of the parts manufactured. In this context, SAB&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6077,"featured_media":61011,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[120,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aerospace","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6077"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61003"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61003\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61012,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61003\/revisions\/61012"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dnatives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}