NASA Testing Rocket With a 3-D Printed Vibration-Dampening Device

NASA recently finished hot-fire testing of an RS-25 rocket engine that contained its largest 3-D printed vibration-dampening device, called a Pogo Accumulator Assembly. The Pogo Accumulator Assembly works as a shock absorber to dampen propellant oscillations that flow between its engine and vehicle. Without dampening, the oscillations would be hazardous.

Throughout the 400-second test, NASA and co-tester, Aerojet Rocketdyne, assessed the pogo accumulator assembly. The assembly consisted of two components (pogo accumulator and pogo-z baffle) that selective laser melting created. Selective laser melting is also 3-D printing technique.

NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne are testing the 3-D-printed components on a development engine that analyses systems for a NASA Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket. The still-in-development SLS will send astronauts and cargo to explore the moon and other deep-space endpoints. 2019 is the tentative start date.

Ecomass Technologies

Ecomass is the innovative and technological frontrunner in high density engineered thermoplastics. Ecomass Compounds are completely nontoxic and can be used to replace lead and other traditional materials.

Ecomass Compounds are a line of patented, nontoxic, high-density thermoplastic composite materials that can be processed on conventional injection molding, compression molding, and extrusion equipment. Ecomass Compounds can be formulated using a variety of polymers and fillers to meet a wide range of customer requirements including:

• Density (up to 11.0 g/cc)

• Heat Deflection Temperature

• Tensile Strength

• Impact Strength

• Flexural Modulus

Ecomass Compounds also have applications in a variety of other products where lead and other heavy metals are currently used. Some of these include Lead Free Ammunition, Gamma Ray Shielding, Weighting and Balancing Applications, and Vibration dampening.

Vibration Dampening

Waves of energy cause vibrations. Vibrations, thus, have both frequency and an amplitude, plus natural or resonance frequency. In order to reduce or eliminate vibrations, you need to isolate or dampen vibration.

Lowering resonant frequency reduces energy at the source and isolates vibration. If lowering resonant frequency isn’t possible, engineers and original equipment manufacturers next try to Dampen Vibrations by introducing Vibration Damping Materials. vibration damping materials absorb the vibrations and reduce the energy an oscillatory system produces. This then reduces, restricts, and/or prevents oscillation.

Choosing Vibration Damping Materials

Viable vibration dampening solutions must display two qualities: 1) it must be dense; and, 2) it must be relatively soft or “dead.” Ecomass’ extensive training, skill, and experience with high-density materials and its ability to know and understand exactly what its customers’ are working with and what they need, allow it to deliver precise solutions for practically any vibration dampening application at the optimal price-point.

Ecomass Compounds

Ecomass Compounds meet the RoHS Directive; do not contain lead or lead compounds; and, contain no materials the U.S. Department of Defense Listing of Toxic Chemicals, Hazardous Substances and Ozone Depleting Substances or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Hazardous Substances Priority List considers toxic or hazardous.

If you have a special requirement, contact Ecomass Technologies via its RFQ Form at:

http://www.ecomass.com/contact-us/

Or see its website at: http://www.ecomass.com

It is probably already working on a solution.