Partnering with key satellite manufacturers, we have developed a thermoplastic composite single-piece, join-free, cuboid structure. It was additively manufactured with high-strength carbon-fibres using our dual-laser automated fibre placement system. Historically, AFP technology has predominantly been applied to the production of cylindrical structures, but this innovative project sought to expand its applications by adopting the cuboid geometry. The motivation behind this endeavour was clear – to reduce manufacturing time, minimise the weight while maintaining the strength, and ultimately reduce launch costs.

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Satellite manufacturing has traditionally been a complex and labour-intensive process, often involving the assembly of numerous discrete, often aluminium, components held together by an array of fasteners. The work undertaken represents a paradigm shift in design and fabrication of composite structures. By harnessing the precision and speed of laser-assisted fibre placement in conjunction with the tilt-turn positioner, our engineers were able to create a seamless monolithic cuboid structure. This design not only significantly streamlines the manufacturing process but reduces both time and cost, with a significant overall weight saving over a traditional satellite structure.

Material Performance Comparison between conventional used Aluminium for Chassis manufacture versus novel composite design using High-strength (HS) carbon-fibres or High-Modulus (HM) carbon-fibres.