Close

3-D Printing Technology 'Blasts Off' in Latest NASA Tests (DDD) (SSYS) (XONE)

July 12, 2013 10:47 AM EDT
What can't additive manufacturing do?

On Thursday, NASA officially tested its first-ever 3-D printed rocket engine injector. According to a press release issued by NASA, A series of firings of a liquid oxygen and gaseous hydrogen rocket injector assembly demonstrated the ability to design, manufacture and test a highly critical rocket engine component using selective laser melting manufacturing technology. Aerojet Rocketdyne designed and fabricated the injector by a method that employs high-powered laser beams to melt and fuse fine metallic powders into three dimensional structures ... This type of injector manufactured with traditional processes would take more than a year to make but with these new processes it can be produced in less than four months, with a 70 percent reduction in cost [our emphasis, not NASAs].

The specs bode well as names like Stratasys (Nasdaq: SSYS), ExOne (Nasdaq: XONE), and 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) look to strike a stronger chord with consumers. Most consumer-level 3D printers run above $1,000 and are rather limited in the size and type of product that can be made, through everyone is familiar with the 3-D printed gun reported a few months back. Still, if NASA is touting the technology, its sure to be a hit with consumers eventually.

Just look at what the agency did for ice cream.

While 3D Sytems is up today, the others are modestly lower.


Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

You May Also Be Interested In





Related Categories

Insiders' Blog