Reducing structural mass and volume is critical to improving efficiency and payload capacity in next-generation small satellites and CubeSats. Additive manufacturing, particularly material extrusion, offers design flexibility and enables the production of lightweight, functional metallic components. This study investigates the integration of nickel–titanium shape memory alloy wires into aluminum-based matrices using a sinter-based material extrusion process, aiming to develop compact actuator systems for aerospace applications. A customized AlSi7Mg aluminum alloy feedstock was extruded into filament form, printed, and embedded with shape memory alloy wires, allowing consolidation during sintering. X-ray micro-computed tomography was used to analyze internal defects and matrix–wire interfacial contact, before and after sintering. Tensile testing of the embedded actuator structures revealed effective mechanical bonding and actuation behavior. The results demonstrate that controlled shrinkage and interfacial bonding enable reliable embedding of shape memory elements without compromising structural integrity. This work provides a promising framework for developing multifunctional aerospace components, where active actuation and structural efficiency can be combined through advanced material extrusion-based manufacturing.

CubeSats are a fundamental tool of space exploration, allowing for the testing of novel ideas that can be upscaled to more efficient satellite systems. This work presents the development and characterisation of an additively manufactured aluminium mechanism designed to enable the self-functionalisation of CubeSat structures through material extrusion metal additive manufacturing, as a foundation for sensor integration. A space-grade AlSi7Mg alloy was selected and prepared as a filament to print a fully functional hinge geometry, aiming to evaluate the feasibility of producing movable metallic components using a low-cost and sustainable extrusion-based process. Produced parts were subjected to debinding and vacuum sintering, achieving a densification above 85% and an average hardness of 52.2 HV. Further characterisation, including micro-computed tomography, X-ray diffraction and dynamic mechanical analysis, was used to assess the microstructural integrity, present phase, and mechanical behaviour of the sintered components. The designed shrinkage-compensated hinge mechanism preserved its rotational mobility after sintering, validating the mechanical inter-locking strategy and the design for additive manufacturing methodology used. The results demonstrate that material extrusion enables the fabrication of lightweight, functional, and integrated aluminium mechanisms suitable for sensor incorporation and actuation in small satellite systems. This proof-of-concept highlights material extrusion as a sustainable and economically viable route for developing intelligent aero-space structures, paving the way for future adaptive and sensor-integrated CubeSat subsystems.

Mechanical (or structural) metamaterials are revolutionizing property tailoring, offering capabilities beyond conventional bulk materials to meet the demand for structural innovation. This work presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of a novel 2D Ti6Al4V mechanical metamaterial. Designed using a novel design methodology, the structure exhibits auxetic (negative Poisson's ratio) behaviour within its elastic domain. The metamaterial was produced using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), and its mechanical response was experimentally tested and validated against numerical simulations. Furthermore, the influence of manufacturing-induced defects, including voids and geometrical deviations, on the mechanical behaviour was systematically correlated. The findings demonstrate that LPBF is a viable and effective method for producing 2D Ti6Al4V mechanical metamaterials capable of achieving high elastic strain, validating the integrated design and manufacturing approach.

Mechanical (or structural) metamaterials offer a paradigm shift in the mechanical response of advanced structures, achieving performance distinct from their base material through architected unit cells that geometrically tailor stress distribution. Characterising these structures demands methodologies capable of capturing localised deformations while reconciling numerical predictions with as-manufactured behaviour. This study introduces a Digital Image Correlation (DIC) based methodology for the mechanical characterisation of three two-dimensional PLA lattice metamaterials, produced by material extrusion (MEX) and selected from a computational screening of approximately 57,000 candidate geometries to span the negative, zero and positive Poisson’s ratio regimes. Predicted and measured Poisson’s ratios agreed to within 0.01 across all three geometries without correction, whereas structural rigidity deviated substantially from nominal geometry predictions. A targeted correction strategy, using micro-computed tomography (µCT) to measure wall thickness at high-stress concentration zones identified through finite element modelling, reduced these deviations from 46% to 7% for the auxetic geometry, and from 25% to 2% for the positive Poisson geometry. These results show that Poisson’s ratio and rigidity respond differently to manufacturing-induced dimensional deviation, and that efficient, targeted geometric correction, rather than full model reconstruction, is sufficient to reconcile numerical and experimental behaviour for these structures. This approach offers a practical framework for the experimental evaluation and numerical validation of mechanical metamaterials.