To address these issues, the research team employed the Directed Energy Deposition (DED) 3D printing process. The printing process took three days, and the entire manufacturing cycle was completed within a few weeks, representing a significant reduction in lead time. One of the project’s hurdles was overcoming industry skepticism toward using 3D printing for such a critical application. “While 3D printing had been used to create shapes before, no component had ever been certified for safety under the extreme conditions of an actual launch,” said Dr. Lee. “I feel a great sense of pride in proving that the 3D printing process can be used even for high-performance components.”The joint research team plans to conduct further tests, including repeated pressurization at operational levels, to prepare the technology for practical application.