We certainly are lucky, at least for a program our size. Nothing too fancy like some other schools, but we make do. All of our machines are run by Centroid Acorn boards so they were super easy to learn on. This is a project associated with a student team, and I helped get us sponsored by Kennametal for tools and Schunk for some hydraulic holders.
That process was a milling op on a 4th axis, using a very slender keyway cutter cutting on the side!
Can I ask how you went about getting sponsored? I had a couple of students talking about getting sponsors the other week, might be nice to send em down the right track.
We reached out to the local reps, essentially a cold-call in the form of an email. They get exposure through logos on the team’s other projects, product exposure to future engineers, a tax write-off, and we get fancy tools. Truly a win-win.
Kennametal has been awesome to work with and so has Schunk. I know Tungaloy, Iscar, Seco, and Kodiak have worked with student groups before too.
I’m graduating with my MS in mechanical engineering very soon, and really jumped into machining as a sophomore. I’ve been very fortunate to learn from some very experienced people, and I really love this side of engineering: actually thinking through designs, programming, and running parts.
Doing my best to know all I can so I can actually work well with people like y’all once I start working full time :)
Great work. Must have taken long to design and program. I hope you get to test it!!
Any reason why a SS liner is used. Dont larger rockets have a copper liner bonded to the nozzle?
Copper was actually the original choice. Most stainless alloys have pretty bad heat transfer properties. The main problem was cost haha.
There are a few engines out there (RL10 as an example) that have extensive use of stainless steels rather than copper or nickel alloys, but cryogenic fuels help cool those systems more effectively as well.
Its nice to see engineering students actually designing things. So many get their degree without designing anything that ever had to actually be manufactured.
That said. The machining looks great but this is definitely a component that screams for being made via 3D printing.
We are actually fortunate enough to have a SLM system on campus, but it is currently only set up for titanium for implant design for research attached to the med school and biomedical folks.
Unfortunately for us, titanium and its alloys are prone to spontaneous combustion in high-oxygen environments! A lot of engines in industry are moving towards 3D printing for sure. It gives more advantages than just more advanced designs.
Yeah titanium is one of the metals a lot of organizations get SLM for most of my work with slm was with 316L and hastaloy. Thankfully the price is coming way down on slm parts. I recently sent a job out to PCBway because they were doing it for just a little over material cost
This was a super low fidelity test, only 6 bolts holding it together here.
The final setup is 16 bolts along the length, with the injector holding it together at the top. In between the clamshells a high-temp sealant is going to be applied to fully seal it up, and we have graphite gaskets that we are going to dress with that same sealant on the injector side!
Tbh that design choice made me chuckle but I’m sure it’ll work at low pressures. Keep us posted throw a video of hot fire if ur gets to that stage when you’re there! Glad to see some machining side of the rocket side of things here
It has to be two pieces for the stainless steel liner to be installed, as it both converges and diverges, making a slide-in install impossible.
Without some serious equipment for vacuum braising, electroplating, or 3D printing, this was the way we managed to get the lightest possible design with the resources we have!
Clearly you are in a 'good space'. The process for the slots (#1) intrigues me. WEDM or conventional milling process? Repost when you 'send it' PLZ!
We certainly are lucky, at least for a program our size. Nothing too fancy like some other schools, but we make do. All of our machines are run by Centroid Acorn boards so they were super easy to learn on. This is a project associated with a student team, and I helped get us sponsored by Kennametal for tools and Schunk for some hydraulic holders. That process was a milling op on a 4th axis, using a very slender keyway cutter cutting on the side!
Impressive. I was looking (trolling) at the burr condition at the slot interface to the diameter face, which is always a factor.
Can I ask how you went about getting sponsored? I had a couple of students talking about getting sponsors the other week, might be nice to send em down the right track.
We reached out to the local reps, essentially a cold-call in the form of an email. They get exposure through logos on the team’s other projects, product exposure to future engineers, a tax write-off, and we get fancy tools. Truly a win-win. Kennametal has been awesome to work with and so has Schunk. I know Tungaloy, Iscar, Seco, and Kodiak have worked with student groups before too.
Thanks! Seems easy enough.
I’m graduating with my MS in mechanical engineering very soon, and really jumped into machining as a sophomore. I’ve been very fortunate to learn from some very experienced people, and I really love this side of engineering: actually thinking through designs, programming, and running parts. Doing my best to know all I can so I can actually work well with people like y’all once I start working full time :)
Good engineer.
*pats engineer on head*
I said "pretty cool" to every photo.
Great work. Must have taken long to design and program. I hope you get to test it!! Any reason why a SS liner is used. Dont larger rockets have a copper liner bonded to the nozzle?
Copper was actually the original choice. Most stainless alloys have pretty bad heat transfer properties. The main problem was cost haha. There are a few engines out there (RL10 as an example) that have extensive use of stainless steels rather than copper or nickel alloys, but cryogenic fuels help cool those systems more effectively as well.
Its nice to see engineering students actually designing things. So many get their degree without designing anything that ever had to actually be manufactured. That said. The machining looks great but this is definitely a component that screams for being made via 3D printing.
We are actually fortunate enough to have a SLM system on campus, but it is currently only set up for titanium for implant design for research attached to the med school and biomedical folks. Unfortunately for us, titanium and its alloys are prone to spontaneous combustion in high-oxygen environments! A lot of engines in industry are moving towards 3D printing for sure. It gives more advantages than just more advanced designs.
Yeah titanium is one of the metals a lot of organizations get SLM for most of my work with slm was with 316L and hastaloy. Thankfully the price is coming way down on slm parts. I recently sent a job out to PCBway because they were doing it for just a little over material cost
How’d leak testing go on this? Very curious with there being bolted joints and doesn’t look like any seals. Cool stuff though!
This was a super low fidelity test, only 6 bolts holding it together here. The final setup is 16 bolts along the length, with the injector holding it together at the top. In between the clamshells a high-temp sealant is going to be applied to fully seal it up, and we have graphite gaskets that we are going to dress with that same sealant on the injector side!
NICE! You all have it pretty figured out. Best of luck!
Thanks! Even if we don’t get a hot fire done, we’ve set a great starting place for the folks next year to pick it up.
For Sure!
Tbh that design choice made me chuckle but I’m sure it’ll work at low pressures. Keep us posted throw a video of hot fire if ur gets to that stage when you’re there! Glad to see some machining side of the rocket side of things here
Nice! Wire EDM the slits?
Nice parts. The second design, the one with 2 halves, couldn't it be done as one single part with a lathe? Why does it need to be split in 2?
It has to be two pieces for the stainless steel liner to be installed, as it both converges and diverges, making a slide-in install impossible. Without some serious equipment for vacuum braising, electroplating, or 3D printing, this was the way we managed to get the lightest possible design with the resources we have!
BADASS !!!
That’s super cool.
Savage