3D Printing Multifunction Data Cables with Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing for Improved Radiation Hardening.

The goal of this program is to demonstrate the use of 3D printing to print multifunctional data cables and connections. A new type of 3D printing, Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM), allows for thermal elements, electrical elements, structural elements, fiber optics, and radiation shielding to be printed into a single monolithic build. By combining three functions (fiber optics, copper wires, and radiation shielding) it will be shown that a lighter weight, higher performance solution can be customized with limited manual labor. Furthermore, such ribbon cables should provide a tighter bend radius than standard twisted pair alternatives. The success of Phase I will be measured by the team’s ability to effectively answer the following key questions:   Can multiple features successfully be embedded in a single cable? What commercial off the shelf (COTS) connectors can be utilized in a 3D printed solution? How do 3D printed cables compare to traditional hand-built solutions? What is the most robust connection for transitioning from 3D printed cables to other devices?