| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2024 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Additive Manufacturing: Length-Scale Phenomena in Mechanical Response
|
| Presentation Title |
Pushing the Limits of Thin-walled Additive Structures for Use in Ultra-low Mass Rover Wheels for Planetary Exploration |
| Author(s) |
Douglas C. Hofmann, Daniel Oropeza, Scott Howe |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Douglas C. Hofmann |
| Abstract Scope |
Planetary mobility systems, such as lunar and Mars rovers, have extreme design constraints based on mass requirements. This is particularly true for Mars helicopters being studied as part of the Mars Sample Return Campaign, which seeks to bring cored samples left of the surface of Mars by the rover, Perseverance, back to Earth. In this concept, a helicopter with four ultra-low mass wheels provides precision mobility to a helicopter to allow positioning over the sample tubes. We present results on manufacturing, characterization and tests of thin-walled, low-mass 3D printed aluminum wheels, where we push the boundary of wheel struts and rim thicknesses. We performed mechanical testing on thin-wall structures to determine a size-effect on mechanical properties, we show various processing strategies and designs to decrease the mass while still retaining performance, and we compare thin-walled structures made through additive manufacturing with identical versions made through precision water jetting. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Additive Manufacturing, Aluminum, Mechanical Properties |