Manufacturing of Cold-Welded Assemblies
Faculty Mentor Name
Kaela Martin, Dawn Armfield
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
As human space exploration expands, the need for constructing and repairing large, pressurized structures in orbit continues to grow. Manufacturing of Cold‑Welded Assemblies (MOCA) addresses this challenge by enabling the fabrication of large structures in space using a cold‑welding process. Designed to integrate with Arkisys’ Bosuns Locker Max for the C3 COSMIC Capstone Challenge Track 1, MOCA offers a low‑energy, heat‑free method that requires no additional materials, making it advantageous over traditional fusion welding in a vacuum environment. The system joins aluminum members inside a vacuum chamber by aligning components, removing oxide layers from their surfaces, and pressing the members together until they bond at the molecular level. This process demonstrates a promising manufacturing technique for in‑space assembly. Once verified, MOCA’s cold‑welding approach could support the creation of large, adaptable orbital structures limited only by the availability of raw materials.
MOCA is comprised of three main mechanisms that each accomplish a discrete operation. The first mechanism of the system is the Cleaning Mechanism which removes the oxide layer from the aluminum members with abrasive wire brushes. The second mechanism is the Alignment Mechanism which carries the aluminum members through the Cleaning Mechanism on 3D-printed carriages and then aligns the members so one overlaps the other in a lap-style joint by having a cam to direct the motion of one of the members. The third and final mechanism is the Pressure Mechanism which utilizes a lever system to apply pressure to the joint to cause plastic deformation of the aluminum members and create the bond. After the pressure is applied, the cold welded joint has been created.
Manufacturing of Cold-Welded Assemblies
As human space exploration expands, the need for constructing and repairing large, pressurized structures in orbit continues to grow. Manufacturing of Cold‑Welded Assemblies (MOCA) addresses this challenge by enabling the fabrication of large structures in space using a cold‑welding process. Designed to integrate with Arkisys’ Bosuns Locker Max for the C3 COSMIC Capstone Challenge Track 1, MOCA offers a low‑energy, heat‑free method that requires no additional materials, making it advantageous over traditional fusion welding in a vacuum environment. The system joins aluminum members inside a vacuum chamber by aligning components, removing oxide layers from their surfaces, and pressing the members together until they bond at the molecular level. This process demonstrates a promising manufacturing technique for in‑space assembly. Once verified, MOCA’s cold‑welding approach could support the creation of large, adaptable orbital structures limited only by the availability of raw materials.
MOCA is comprised of three main mechanisms that each accomplish a discrete operation. The first mechanism of the system is the Cleaning Mechanism which removes the oxide layer from the aluminum members with abrasive wire brushes. The second mechanism is the Alignment Mechanism which carries the aluminum members through the Cleaning Mechanism on 3D-printed carriages and then aligns the members so one overlaps the other in a lap-style joint by having a cam to direct the motion of one of the members. The third and final mechanism is the Pressure Mechanism which utilizes a lever system to apply pressure to the joint to cause plastic deformation of the aluminum members and create the bond. After the pressure is applied, the cold welded joint has been created.