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3D printing

Posted: Fri May 18, 2018 12:33 am
by Ron LaDow
Interesting technique, and it's been on my radar (would have saved me money on the Full Flow Adapter), but no use yet found for Pre Mat other than that.
But you can take a look at what these guys are doing (I think they are Czech, but not sure):
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=3dlabprint (it will take some poking around)
WWII aircraft, and for that matter my March F-1 were considered pretty hot stuff in the distribution of metal to accept the operating loads, but they were both (and many others) limited to some degree by tooling which made parts in linear forms; see wing spars on WWII fighters and bulkheads on that March.
Loads do not propagate in straight lines; look at a WWII fighter wing and visualize the *vertical* loads from the tip into the wing root; not likely even a simple curve and then look at it from the Y-axis. Yikes!
These guys get to ignore the limitations of presses, brakes, English wheels, and all that stuff. Just a SWAG at this point, but there has to be a 20% gain in weight/strength.
Maybe one of you guys is following composite AC construction at, say Boeing and can comment regarding a comparison.