Advancing Commercialization and Manufacturing of Precision Robotics Components Through Thermoplastic Forming of Bulk Metallic Glasses

The proposed CCRPP project focuses on advancing the commercial-scale production of high-precision robotics gears using game-changing thermoplastic forming (TPF) processes with Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMG). Aligned with NASA’s mission to drive technological progress in space exploration and robotics, this project accelerates the transition of advanced materials and manufacturing methods from Phase II/IIE into a transformative platform addressing critical performance and scalability challenges in rapidly growing robotics, space, and defense markets. Net-shaping TPF technology developed by Supercool Metals ensures rapid, reproducible production of components with superior properties and functionalities. This capability directly supports NASA’s missions, including robotics, cryogenic systems, and satellite technologies for Moon, Mars, Enceladus, and other missions, while addressing substantial U.S. and global market opportunities. BMG robotics gears produced with TPF exhibit exceptional properties, such as superior cryogenic performance, ultrahigh strength, and lightweight, making them ideal for extreme environments of space exploration. BMG gears also provide significant advantages for industrial, medical and humanoid robots. This project also addresses a critical national security challenge: the lack of a robust U.S. supply chain for high-performance components needed to respond to AI and robotics advancements impacting our society. By achieving reliable, high-performance components using novel, scalable and cost-effective manufacturing, it bridges domestic supply chain gaps, reduces reliance on foreign sources, and strengthens industrial resilience. With strong relevance to NASA’s missions and substantial commercial potential beyond NASA, this project establishes a foundation for widespread adoption of an advanced manufacturing platform for robotics and space industries, while reinforcing U.S. leadership in high-performance manufacturing.
Benefits: Advanced manufacturing of complex, high precision functional parts with superior mechanical properties is critical for NASA. In this project, we are focusing on building capabilities for precise and complex robotics gears using thermoplastic forming of BMGs. BMGs have ultrahigh strength, elasticity, fracture toughness and hardness. Additionally, they maintain these properties down to cryogenic temperatures and in harsh environments. Thus, thermoplastically formed BMG gears are highly promising for space application and will be used in many areas, including rovers, sampling systems, cryogenic systems, and other equipment in missions to the Moon, Mars, Enceladus, CLPS, CADRE and other. Examples of components that are considered for this project include strain wave gears, planetary, pinion and spur gear and other similar components. This technology has broad applicability and significant benefits for general robotics applications, including industrial, medical, collaborative robots (cobots), and humanoid robots. It will enhance the functionality, agility, and durability of robotic systems while reducing costs and significantly shortening production lead times by an order of magnitude. It can be used for production of strain wave gears, planetary, pinion and spur gear and other related components. Furthermore, beyond the scope of this project, the same platform manufacturing technology can be used for production of compliant mechanisms, conformable propellant tanks, electronic and communication systems and other advanced products in space and defense applications.