3D Printed Aircraft

Discipline: MAE

Advisor: Edward Clutter

Additive manufacturing is a relatively new technology to the consumer market, and in the last ten years desktop 3D printing has grown exponentially in availability and affordability. The aerospace industry is rapidly adopting additive manufacturing into its processes as well, because it is time saving, cost-effective, and can create complex optimized geometries that conventional methods cannot accomplish. However, as this is a quickly growing field, there is a need for awareness when it comes to the flaws and defects that can come when 3D printing a structure. The goal of this project is to create a 3D-printed fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to explore the evolving technology of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). FDM is a process in which a thermoplastic polymer is heated and extruded through a nozzle, forming layers. The project will produce all major structural elements of the UAV using FDM. Specifically, this project aims to expand knowledge to local Orlando high schools and the aerospace community. Additionally, this project will help further understand additive manufacturing's structural integrity and its applications in the broader aerospace industry.

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