10-24-2022: Relativity Space introduced Stargate 4th Generation – the world’s largest metal 3D printing system
The 3D printer was designed to make Terran R - a reusable rocket
On October 24, 2022, Relativity Space, the world’s first company to use 3D printing technology for rocket manufacturing, unveiled the latest version of its proprietary production platform – the Stargate 4th Generation. The 3D printer was designed to support the development and eventual production of Terran R, a reusable rocket capable of carrying 20,000 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Unlike other machines using additive manufacturing methods, Stargate 3D printers print with a printhead positioned horizontally relative to the build surface. Relativity develops its own software and machine learning techniques to enable 3D printing of more complex and larger metal applications, while also increasing speed. The company also claims that its machines can print a rocket with 100 times fewer parts in just a few months.
The 4th Generation Stargate 3D printer featured significantly improved print speeds, working 7 times faster than previous-generation machines and up to 12 times faster than alternative metal 3D printing systems on the market. Additionally, the use of a horizontal printhead orientation increased the volume of 3D prints, allowing objects up to 36 meters long and over 7 meters wide to be created, resulting in a 55-fold increase in efficiency compared to third-generation machines.
Relativity uses proprietary high-performance materials in its work – the Terran R rocket will be the first in a series of products to benefit from lighter materials and reduced production time, significantly lowering costs for customers in future stages.
Most of Terran R's components were printed at Relativity’s new facility, called “Wormhole,” a 93,000 square meter site located in Long Beach, USA. Aeon R engines for the Terran R are produced in the company’s second factory, also in Long Beach. The Wormhole facility was previously Boeing’s C-17 manufacturing plant. At full capacity, each 4th Generation Stargate printer is theoretically capable of producing 4 Terran R rockets per year.
Source: www.relativityspace.com