Case Study: German Aerospace Center achieves rapid, cost-effective TransRoPorter prototyping for Mars exploration with Stratasys 3D printing

3D Printed TransRoPorter Supports Space Exploration

The German Aerospace Center (German Aerospace Center)’s Institute for Robotics and Mechatronics needed a durable, fully functional prototype of the TransRoPorter exploration robot — including a rugged Payload Module and a rover unit — that could be tested under simulated extreme Mars conditions while keeping costs and lead times low. To meet this challenge they turned to Stratasys, using Stratasys FDM 3D printing on the Fortus 900mc and ASA thermoplastic materials to rapidly produce complex, large-format parts.

Stratasys printed the TransRoPorter components and payload box on the Fortus 900mc, delivering strong, low-distortion parts that met fit, mounting and docking requirements and withstood rigorous functionality tests. The solution proved faster and less expensive than metal fabrication, produced a fully functional prototype ready for the planned 2021/2022 launch, and accelerated internal adoption of 3D printing techniques at the German Aerospace Center — outcomes all enabled by Stratasys’ FDM technology.

German Aerospace Center

Kaj Fuehrer

Head of System Building Technology South