DESIGN, AERODYNAMIC ANALYSIS AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF A RADIO-CONTROLLED AIRPLANE

Abstract

Additive manufacturing is a technology used in a wide range of industrial applications, from the digital model to the final physical production and often testing of parts. In this paper a radio-controlled airplane model was designed, analysed in terms of aerodynamic performance, and manufactured using the thermoplastic filament extrusion process. The preliminary aerodynamic analysis resulted in a maximum lift coefficient of about 1 corresponding to a drag coefficient of 0.058. This paper deals with the description of the additive manufacturing procedure of the radio-controlled model components and, finally, the assembly procedure of the whole model. At the end it can be stated that the thermoplastic extrusion process can be successfully used for the manufacture of radio-controlled model airplane or scale model airplane for the purpose of determining aerodynamic performance and conducting tests in wind tunnels or during flight.