All Composite Airfoil

Hello

 

I have seen quite a few all composite airfoils on the net thus I am wondering how is this achieved?

 

My first guess would be layered carbon fibre fabric but this would require quite a lot of finishing.

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  • I have seen wings made from tubes of carbon fiber of diffrent diameters. If you imagine the holes you normally see in a balsa wing rib, think of diffrent diameter tubes of carbon fiber in this arrangement but without all of the ribs. Support is added by using 2 part expanding foam or similar with the occasional rib (only for maintaining the aerofoil shape). Once the expanding foam is set a heated wire (heated by electrical current and pulled tight on a frame) is used to cut the foam to the exact profile of the ribs producing the aerofoil. Another layer (or 2) of carbon is layed over the complete structure and vacuum bagged to remove excess resin for a lightweight and SUPER strong structure.

    This was used on a hill climb racing car (upside down of course) to produce downforce.

  • It is most likely possible and would probably work quite well to make an airfoil out of low density foam core, layer with carbon fiber/epoxy then vacuum bag it to a certain pressure to where you are not getting any deformations in the airfoil but it compresses the carbon layer.

    Or are you saying composite inside and out?

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