Innospace, a private space launch vehicle company, announced Wednesday that it has become the first in Korea to commercialize an innovative process technology for metal additive manufacturing (3D printing) of high-precision titanium components without support structures. The move represents an expansion of advanced technological capabilities accumulated during the development of its "Hanbit" space launch vehicle into the manufacturing business.
In conventional metal additive manufacturing processes, internal support structures are typically essential to prevent shape deformation. This has created structural limitations including increased post-processing steps, manufacturing delays, and restricted design freedom.
Innospace, however, successfully secured product quality and stability without support structures even in existing Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) equipment environments by applying advanced process control technology. The company also resolved technical challenges in additive manufacturing by stably producing components based on titanium materials, which exhibit significant thermal deformation and high process control difficulty.
