Simviation Forums

I dont know if this is where it goes, but it can be moved.

I need to know what material I should use to build a model of a wing for wind tunnel testing.  Ill go more into detail later, but right now I just need to know what material can be used for a testing model.

Thanks
Jake

What sort of tooling do you have available? The first thing that came to mind was fiberglass. It's a thought.

What sort of tooling do you have available? The first thing that came to mind was fiberglass. It's a thought.

I have very little tooling availiable.  I was thinking some sort of styrofoam to start, maybe blue foam?  But I cant seem to figure out where to get any!

You can build one with wood spars, then cover it in paper or fabric, but that might be somewhat fragile.  If you wanted an aluminum for a stronger wing, I think they use something like 6061 T6 aluminum for control surfaces, a 2000 series aluminum (2024 T3/T4 I think) for the skins and structural elements, but those are just a few examples, I think there are all kinds of aluminum alloys and composites used now.  I would assume this is probably for a school project or something, so I would say cut some ribs out of a lightweight wood (like balsa or basswood) and cover them in fabric or paper.

EDIT:  You've posted since I first read, but I think you can get styrofoam up to two or three inches thick at any lumber yard, but you would probably have to buy a 4' by 8' sheet.  I would check at a hobby store or something, but I would say wood and fabric or paper is your best bet.

If you want to use foam, try looking at a big hardware store like Lowes or Home Depot. After you have the airfoil cut out, you can finish it in two-part epoxy which you can get almost anywhere. It will be somewhat brittle once hardened, but very smooth if you do it right. Plus, you get to use fancy words like "polymer composite".

Its going to be a cyllindrical wing, I want to study it for science fair, so Im not sure how well fabric and wood are going to work

Cylindrical, like a tube?

oh, in that case, try a soda can. But I don't think it's going to generate much lift.

Cylindrical, like a tube?

Kinda.  Its a weird concept, basically a channel wing

http://www.maam.org/aircraft/ccw5.html

I was inspired by my friends paper airplane, it is basically a cylinder, but it flies smoother, farther, faster, and much straighter than ANY paper airplane Ive ever built.  And the concept seems ingenious to me, and I want to develop it further, and the first step is to build a model and analyze fluid flow around it to discern exactly WHY and HOW it works so well, then proceed to develop the concept further

In that case, I have no idea.  :P

Ah, I see, I was thinking you were going the opposite way, with the tube spinning to create lift, like a golf ball.  I can probably explain both things you were talking about there if you were wondering, but if you wanted to investigate it for a science project, I don't want to get in the way of good science.

I don't really know a way to build that, I would be pretty tough to get a good curve, maybe you could build a general shape of the wing, then cover it with something that is lightweight, but you could still shape it, but I can't think of anything at the moment.  Ask me again in a couple of minutes.

LOL

Thats why I was thinking foam, I could cut out a cylinder, then cut out the middle, then sand the inside.  Oh well, Ill research it more and go to the store and look for something.

Foams a good start, but useing modeling balsa wood can help, if your on a low budget and limited stick with materials stich with foam,

What are you planinng to experiment with? I remember in my 8th grade science experiment I put together a fictional x- wign design etc...

Yeah, that sounds like a pretty good idea, make sure it's thick enough though.  

A word or warning though, the "channel wing" in your link and those round, tube like paper airplanes (that are like hoops or rings) work well because of different principles, but both are very interesting ideas, and it would probably be worth looking into either one, or both, or just circular/cylindrical wings in general.

Yeah, that sounds like a pretty good idea, make sure it's thick enough though.  

A word or warning though, the "channel wing" in your link and those round, tube like paper airplanes (that are like hoops or rings) work well because of different principles, but both are very interesting ideas, and it would probably be worth looking into either one, or both, or just circular/cylindrical wings in general.

Yes, Im going to look into MANY different things.  Channel wing, full circular, flat circular (like the Geobat), channel placement (IE flush against the fuselage or in the middle)  Circular wing hybrid (the cylinder as a component of the wing with an actual wing for more conventional lift and control)

I have a bagillion Ideas, tis why Im starting now even tho scifair isnt until Feb 2007