In-Space Inductive Foundry: Recycling, Sorting and Casting

Yolo Robotics LLC proposes developing the core technology for an inductive foundry to recycle, sort, and ldquo;free-castrdquo; metals in space. nbsp;The system consists of electromagnetic arrays that are independently commutated to induce heat and forces to melt and manipulate metals. nbsp;This technology applies well-understood phenomena in a completely novel way for a substantial technological advance. nbsp;Its compact, integrated hardware has no moving parts, an infinite workspace, and scales to match material throughput to available power. nbsp;Current state of the art recycling and manufacturing is precise but slow, static, and life limited. nbsp;The inductive foundry produces basic feedstocks (ingots, bars, plates, filament) and may ultimately produce complex shapes (brackets, tools, extrusions) significantly faster than additive or subtractive manufacturing. nbsp;The rough products generated by our in-space inductive foundry can either be used in low-precision applications (radiators, scaffolding, tanks) or more complex applications using additional manufacturing processes in space. nbsp;The inductive foundry is the ideal tool for remote and continuous in-space recycling and manufacturing. nbsp;It has immediate applications on the ISS, a sustainable business case to manage orbital debris, and is a foundational element of the cislunar economy. nbsp;In Phase I, Yolo Robotics concluded that this approach is feasible and successfully demonstrated moving, melting, forming, and cooling aluminum using its advanced inductive foundry technology. nbsp;This Phase II effort shall integrate these processes into a complete prototype, culminating in a demonstration in vacuum on a reduced-gravity flight to validate the recycling process and characterize feedstocks produced in an analogous space environment. nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;