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Preliminary design of 3D printed fittings for UAV

Jacek Mieloszyk (Institute of Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland)
Andrzej Tarnowski (Institute of Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland)
Michal Kowalik (Institute of Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland)
Rafal Perz (Institute of Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland)
Witold Rzadkowski (Institute of Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland)

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 15 January 2019

Issue publication date: 15 July 2019

300

Abstract

Purpose

Additive manufacturing technology, also commonly called as 3D printing technology, is entering rapidly into the aerospace world and seems to be its future. Many manufacturing processes are replaced by this technology because the ease of use, low costs and new possibilities to make complicated parts. However, there are only few solutions which present manufacturing of structurally critical parts.

Design/methodology/approach

Complete process of deriving loads, design of fitting geometry, numerical validation, manufacturing and strength testing was presented. The emphasis was made to show specific features of 3D technology in printed fittings for UAV.

Findings

The research confirms that the technology can be used for the application of fittings manufacturing. Attention needs to be paid, during the design process, to account for specific features of the 3D printing technology, which is described in details.

Practical implications

Without a doubt, additive manufacturing is useful for manufacturing complicated parts within limited time and with reduction cost. It was also shown that the manufactured parts can be used for highly loaded structures.

Originality/value

The paper shows how additive manufacturing technology can be used to produce significantly loaded parts of airplanes’ structure. Only few such examples were presented till now.

Keywords

Citation

Mieloszyk, J., Tarnowski, A., Kowalik, M., Perz, R. and Rzadkowski, W. (2019), "Preliminary design of 3D printed fittings for UAV", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 91 No. 5, pp. 756-760. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-07-2018-0182

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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