Framtida användningsområden för materialadderande tillverkning
En studie i hur materialadderande tillverkning kan användas i rymden
In this paper we have studied possible future uses for Additive Manufacturing (commonly referred to as 3D-printing) in Space. More specifically we have sought to establish how Additive Manufacturing can be used to construct structures on the Moon. Our studies have shown that Additive Manufacturing has great potential for establishing colonies on not only the Moon, but perhaps even further away from our home planet. With Contour Crafting-technology in combination with ISRU (In Situ Resource Utilization) we could, with material already present in the sediment layers of the Moon, construct advanced structures without having to transfer any extra material from Earth. This would lower the costs of establishing a colony on the Moon to such extents that it could actually be fiscally possible.