Comment by Torkel Danielsson on August 5, 2011 at 2:43am

Not world first.

There has been far more interesting developments performed in Sweden at Linköping University for some years in this area, see for example the research of David Lundström:

http://www.iei.liu.se/flumes/david-lundstrom?l=en

- Not only do they 3D-print the aircraft, but they optimize the structure and aerodynamics based on available components!

I saw a presentation of their research about a year ago, and was really impressed by how different batteries and motor combinations yielded different airframes. Then they would just print the structures needed and fly - even the control laws (and -code) needed to fly was given by the optimization.

Comment by Veikko Vierola on August 6, 2011 at 8:20am

Is there any cheap 3d printers around?

3D Robotics Comment by Chris Anderson on August 6, 2011 at 8:30am

I've got a $1k Makerbot, but it's only for small parts. The kind of 3D printer you need for a full plane costs many tens of thousand dollars.

Comment by Veikko Vierola on August 6, 2011 at 8:33am

what if you just make a bigger frame for the makerbot?

Comment by Veikko Vierola on August 6, 2011 at 8:52am

This seems quite interesting too

pp3dp.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid=37

Maybe it could be possible to create simple wooden frame and add 3 stepper motors, 3 screw rods, hot glue gun to it. Then APM servo outputs could drive the steppermotors, ESC output would run the glue gun. Then you could print your own UAV with APM planners new 3D print function : )

Developer Comment by Doug Weibel on August 6, 2011 at 9:12am

@Paul - Just on your comment on the elliptical wing planform;  I'd hardly call them unsuccessful.  There have been several production aircraft that used it that come to mind.  The primary difficulty has always been the cost of mass producing it.  However, it is recognized as having an optimal lift distribution for many applications.  If I were just making a small run of planes for some purpose and could do an elliptical planform as easily as any other, I'd use it.

Comment by Tyler Mitchell on August 6, 2011 at 9:13am

Odds are if you are able to control your own stepper motors using a microcontroller, you're probably already able to create your own 3D printer.  :) (Throw a laser in for added points)  That's the reality as I see it these days.  Most of us just need to get down to work and start hacking hardware and something will emerge.. but I have lots of good excuses ;-)

Comment by Troublemaker on August 6, 2011 at 4:55pm

Hey just wanted to say, is it the elliptical wing we are regarding as special or its the laminar flow wing.  The spitfire etc was special i think because it had a laminar flow wing, if you look, the thickest part of the wing is actually about halfway back, not the usual one third. 

 The wind breaks away further back down the wing, reducing drag and creating a very fast wing.  It also very thin and flush rivited.  Both hard to prduce in light aircraft. 

GA aircraft have not progressed much above 100-200 kts, even though small piston fighters were exceeding those speeds long ago.  Thin, laminar, flush riveted wings are still expensive to manufacture.

Comment by Mathew krawczun on August 6, 2011 at 5:21pm

@troublemaker

 

It had both I believe but they reduce drag in different ways. "laminar flow wing" is about the air flowing over the wing while  "elliptical wing" fights a wing tip vortex from forming I believe

Comment by Brandon on August 7, 2011 at 9:11am

"It's slow and expensive." I'm sure that could have been said of every single technical or electronic invention.

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