| Abstract Scope |
Material selection is a critical part of design for space-based applications. Mechanisms must withstand harsh environments for long durations without maintenance, in situations where component-level failure may cause total mission failure. Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMG)s have demonstrated exceptional mechanical, optical, and magnetic properties. Many commercialization efforts have been made over the last 20 years, particularly for applications where the enhanced properties and/or more efficient processing routes result in significant performance improvements. In this work, four BMG compositions were selected based on the performance requirements of anti-backlash gears and compliant flexures, and alloy samples were fabricated. Five key material properties were selected for evaluation, namely: strength, elastic modulus, hardness, wear resistance, and fatigue life. Initial results demonstrate the suitability of BMGs for these space-mechanism applications. However, there is still a gap in terms of repeatability, predictability, and performance life that need to be overcome before widespread adoption for mission-critical systems. |