3D Printing
News Videos Newsletter Contact us
Home / News / Ankit Aerospace 3D Printing SpaceX-style Grid Fins
Join our mailinglist

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Ankit Aerospace 3D Printing SpaceX-style Grid Fins

February 17, 2023

Ankit Aerospace, an Indian firm, has announced that it will be using Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) technology to 3D print grid fins for India’s Gaganyaan mission. These 3D printed grid fins will help keep astronauts safe in the event of a launch failure. The grid fins are essential to stabilize the crew module and rescue the crew during an emergency on the launch pad or in the initial stage of flight.

Titanium grid fin
Titanium grid fin – strong, light, and heat resistant. (Image credit: Ankit Aerospace)

The use of 3D printing technology has significantly reduced the buy to fly ratio, making it more cost-effective and efficient than traditional manufacturing processes. Ankit Aerospace has been using additive manufacturing to reduce the amount of titanium for the mission. The resulting grid fin is a near net-shaped component that requires very little material removal to be ready for use.

“In the past, traditionally, it used to begin with a big block of metal and one would carve out everything, including what was not needed — just how a sculpture is carved out of a whole stone,” said Ankit Patel, CEO at Ankit Aerospace.

“On the other hand, when you talk about 3D-printing or additives, you only start with the amount of material you need and you deposit in the shape you require, that’s what we did on a large scale.”

If the 3D printed grid fins are approved by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), more of them are likely to be produced for India’s mission. The goal is to leverage this technology for other projects in the country, and as additive manufacturing becomes more mainstream, opportunities for fabricating large structures within the country will open up.

Come and let us know your thoughts on our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages, and don’t forget to sign up for our weekly additive manufacturing newsletter to get all the latest stories delivered right to your inbox.

Share:
WhatsApp Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Buffer Reddit E-mail
About the author | Phillip Keane
Phillip is an aerospace engineer from UK. He is a graduate of Coventry University (UK), International Space University (France) and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), where he studied Advanced Manufacturing at the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing.
Latest posts

Researchers Print Tiny Mushroom Structures to Repel Water Drops

Materials science researchers from Hunan University in China have revealed a new bionic functional surface that achieves programmable and patterned droplet bouncing. The... read more »

News
Researchers Print Tiny Mushroom Structures to Repel Water Drops

UAE Institute Unveils First Locally Developed Metal AM Powder

A new aluminium alloy powder, designed specifically for additive manufacturing, has been unveiled at the AM Conclave conference in Abu Dhabi. The alloy... read more »

3D Printing Metal
UAE Institute Unveils First Locally Developed Metal AM Powder

Stanford Researchers Enable Low Energy Resin Printing Using Photonic Upconversion

At Stanford University's Congreve Lab, researchers Tracy H. Schloemer and Daniel N. Congreve are exploring the practical power of manipulating light's color, with... read more »

Materials
Stanford Researchers Enable Low Energy Resin Printing Using Photonic Upconversion

Paradigm 3D Unveils Dubai’s First 3D Printing Facility for Aerospace Advancements

Paradigm 3D has introduced its advanced 3D printing facility in Dubai, marking an important milestone in the Middle East's additive manufacturing landscape. This... read more »

Aerospace
Paradigm 3D Unveils Dubai's First 3D Printing Facility for Aerospace Advancements

Researchers Develop New Material for More Lifelike Wearables

Engineers and chemists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Meta have collaborated to develop a 3D printed material that emulates the properties... read more »

Materials
Researchers Develop New Material for More Lifelike Wearables

Microsoft Unveils 3D Printed Surface Pen Grips for Accessibility

Microsoft is taking a giant leap in its mission to enhance inclusivity and accessibility with the introduction of adaptive 3D printed grips for... read more »

News
Microsoft Unveils 3D Printed Surface Pen Grips for Accessibility

Bioprinted Muscles Can Contract After Just 10 Days of Growth

Researchers at the Terasaki Institute in Los Angeles have pioneered a new approach to advance 3D bioprinted muscle constructs, offering hope for more... read more »

Bioprinting
Bioprinted Muscles Can Contract After Just 10 Days of Growth

Caltech Team Uses AM to Create Virus-sized Structures

Caltech researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough in 3D printing metal objects at the nanoscale, with a size of 150 nanometers, comparable to... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Caltech Team Uses AM to Create Virus-sized Structures

Bambu Lab Releases Smart and Affordable A1 Mini 3D Printer

Bambu Lab has taken the 3D printing community by storm with the official launch of their latest creation, the A1 Mini. In a... read more »

3D Printers
Bambu Lab Releases Smart and Affordable A1 Mini 3D Printer

Paul Scherrer Institute Visualizes Meltpools in 3D

3D printing has revolutionized manufacturing, enabling the creation of intricate shapes and structures. However, when it comes to printing ceramics using lasers, the... read more »

News
Paul Scherrer Institute Visualizes Meltpools in 3D

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
  • Twitter Twitter 3D Printing
sidebar image
  • Industry MAGNUM Industry MAGNUM
    1500 x 1200 x 1200 mm
    €159.000
    Request a Quote
  • Modix BIG Meter Modix BIG Meter
    1010 x 1010 x 1010 mm
    from $13,500
    Request a Quote
  • Modix BIG-180X Modix BIG-180X
    1800 x 600 x 600 mm
    from $15,500
    Request a Quote
  • Hands-On Review: Anycubic Photon Mono M5s Hands-On Review: Anycubic Photon Mono M5s Learn More
  • Hands-On Review: The Mole 3D Scanner Hands-On Review: The Mole 3D Scanner Learn More

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Industry MAGNUM Industry MAGNUM
    1500 x 1200 x 1200 mm
    €159.000
    Request a Quote
  • Modix BIG Meter Modix BIG Meter
    1010 x 1010 x 1010 mm
    from $13,500
    Request a Quote
  • Modix BIG-180X Modix BIG-180X
    1800 x 600 x 600 mm
    from $15,500
    Request a Quote
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Company Information

  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing

Blog

  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal

Featured Reviews

  • Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
  • Creality Ender 5 S1
  • The Mole 3D Scanner
  • Flashforge Creator 3 Pro

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2023 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing
We serve cookies on this site to analyze traffic, remember your preferences, and optimize your experience.
Details
Close