Carbon Fiber Aerofoils

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Carbon Fiber Aerofoils

Author	Message
MechEng86	MechEng86 posted 10 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2, Visits: 3	Hello Everyone, Apologies if this has been covered else where, this is my first attempt at making any components from carbon fiber, and I am a little unsure of the best way to make my design. Any advice/help you could give in terms of materials and techniques would be appreciated. I have tried to outline what I am trying to make below. I think for a first project, that it should not be too complicated? In essence I am trying to make a NACA 0018 aerofoil, with a 50 mm chord 9 mm maximum thickness and 200 mm span. I was hoping to use a foam core, with around a 0.25/0.5 mm outer carbon fiber skin, to keep the overall mass to a minimum. But this is subject to me finishing my calculations. My question is how would I go about doing making this design, and would this be a sensible approach. Would the laminating starter kit below be suitable, or would this be the wrong approach for this application? I was thinking of wither wrapping the carbon fiber directly around the foam, or making a mould to manufacture the outer skins first. https://www.easycomposites.co.uk/carbon-fibre-laminating-starter-kit Kind regards MechEng86
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Fasta	Fasta posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 468, Visits: 3.5K	For such a small foil section it would be best to use a female mould for accuracy. To laminate over a foam core for such a small part would likely be quite inaccurate. Since you are making a symmetrical foil you only need one mould and then make it at 400mm length minimum so you get both sides in one length of foil skin. Layup the skin, release it from the mould and cut it in half. Then bond the two halves together with glue and a small structural web if needed. Fastacraft Facebook page
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ChrisR	ChrisR posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 363, Visits: 3K	+1 on gluing two sections together and a hollow core, although I'd make the section 450-500 long to allow for trimming and any fibre misalignment at the edges. You may find with such a small part you could get away with 2 layers of light UD at 0 & 90deg
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MechEng86	MechEng86 posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2, Visits: 3	Hello ChrisR/Fasta, Many thanks for you advice on this. I think the female mould and gluing the two parts is a good idea and I will go for this approach. Making the aerofoil from two pieces is not something that I had thought of. I will let you know how I get on/if I have any other queries. Thanks again
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Fasta	Fasta posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 468, Visits: 3.5K	I have made hundreds of foils like this. Best to mix some 45 degree fibre in the layups too otherwise the skins will be very easily twisted. Just makes them a bit more stable while you are fitting/gluing. Fastacraft Facebook page
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