Development of a multifunctional panel for aerospace use through SLM additive manufacturing

Lattice materials can overcome the need of light and stiff structures in the aerospace industry. The wing leading edge is one of the most critical parts for both on-board subsystem and structure features: it must withstand to the aerodynamic loads and bird-strike, integrating also the anti-ice system functions. Nowadays, this part is made by different components bonded together such as external skin, internal passageways, and feeding tubes. In the present work, a single-piece multifunctional panel made by additive manufacturing will be developed. Optimal design and manufacturing are discussed according to technological constraints, aeronautical performances and sustainability

a comparison between 3d printing and milling process for a spar cap fitting wing fuselage of uav aircraft

Abstract Topology optimization is playing an important role in the aircraft design. The demand of lower fuel consumption reflects on the optimization of the airframe of flying vehicles to reduce the structure weight, therefore improving the fraction of the payload. This work focuses on the replacement of an existing part (spar cap fitting) with the new topologically optimized part to be manufactured with 3D printing (Selective Laser Sintering -SLS). The manufacturing constraints (minimum dimension, growth orientation) influence on the optimal results is evaluated to compare traditional milling process' performance with the new SLS technique

Additive Manufacturing Offers New Opportunities in UAV Research

AbstractMulti-rotors vehicles have become a consolidated reality in modern aeronautical field. These small helicopters consist in a fuselage “hanged” under a set of fixed pitch propellers each powered by an electric motor. These vehicles have great potentials and research in this topic is increasing aimed to reduce the structure weight to maximize flight time, range and payload.Multi rotor components represent a key challenge for 3D modeling, optimization and additive manufacturing: they mainly consist in complex shapes where the most important feature are robustness and lightweight. Usually produced in small series, for example, eight parts for a single prototype, they almost need to be able to interface different materials.The work here presented shows the advanced research conducted in cooperation between Altair Engineering and Politecnico di Torino to develop vital components for the structure of a multi-rotor: they represent a challenge because the main need is to interface arms, consisting in carbon fiber tubes, with motor or frame, both made in 7075 Alloy.The use of topology optimization techniques plays a key role to minimize the weight of the components and to improve the productivity of the machines. Moreover, Additive manufacturing (FDM with Sharebot NG) allows producing more parts in less time improving the cost effectiveness of the project. The process will be described from a simple characterization of the anisotropic properties of 3-D printed specimens to FEM analysis of the preliminary design of the component and to the optimization phase performed with Altair Optistruct code.An important role is played from the Altair tool used for the preliminary design: Inspire. This tool is conceived to generate structural efficient concepts quickly and easily to obtain lighter designs and eliminate structural design problems and finally provide input files for 3-D printers

Experimental tests and numerical evaluation of sandwich panels with trabecular core subjected to uniaxial compression, made by Additive Manufacturing

Trabecular structures, in mesoscale, allow the production of strong and light components optimizing the strength/mass ratio. Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies offer the possibility to build thin and complex objects as the system proposed in this paper. An innovative sandwich panel with trabecular core, integrated into the aircraft wings, is presented: it works as impact absorber and as hot air anti-icing/de-icing system for aircrafts leading edges. The system leads to advantages in terms of consumptions: the combination of energetic efficiency and lightness leads to sensible reduction in fuel use and gas emission. Recent developments in Additive Manufacturing techniques have highlighted the need for robust design and analysis method for non-stochastically lattices structures. In fact, there is a strong need of efficient and affordable analysis tools with a low computational cost. In the present work, several experimental tests from compression of sandwich panels, with different cell shapes, dimension and volume fraction, have been carried out. Results were compared with numerical simulation. Both explicit and implicit code have been applied changing element type, mesh size and element order, to assess which analysis method provides the most accurate responses with the lowest computational cost

Development of a multifunctional panel for aerospace use through SLM Additive Manufacturing

Lattice materials can overcome the need of light and stiff structures in the aerospace industry. The wing leading edge is one of the most critical parts for both on-board subsystem and structure features: it must withstand to the aerodynamic loads and bird-strike, integrating also the anti-ice system functions. Nowadays, this part is made by different components bonded together such as external skin, internal passageways, and feeding tubes. In the present work, a single-piece multifunctional panel made by additive manufacturing will be developed. Optimal design and manufacturing are discussed according to technological constraints, aeronautical performances and sustainability