Student engineers design, build, fly ‘printed’ airplane
October 23, 2012
The unmanned aerial vehicle, “dressed” in U.Va.’s colors. The plane was built entirely from parts from a 3-D printer. (Credit: University of Virginia)
The MITRE Corporation hired two University of Virginia engineeering students to build an unmanned aerial vehicle, using 3D printing technology, part of a Department of the Army project to study the feasibility of using such planes.
The result was a plane with a 6.5-foot wingspan, made from assembled “printed” parts. It achieved a cruising speed of 45 mph and is only the third 3D-printed plane known to have been built and flown.
“To make a plastic turbofan engine to scale five years ago would have taken two years, at a cost of about $250,000,” the students said. “But with 3D printing we designed and built it in four months for about $2,000. This opens up an arena of teaching that was not available before. It allows us to train engineers for the real challenges they will face in industry.”
Mechanical and aerospace engineering professor and project adviser David Sheffler, left, with the “printed” plane’s creators, Steven Easter, center, and Jonathan Turman. (credit: University of Virginia)
Comments (12)
by eldras
Maybe I’ve misunderstood this – it cant fly right?
The engine that’s printed is a plastic material model and they have to use a non 3D print engine to get powered flight?
Can someone clue me in thanks (I’ve seen asiwel ‘s video)
by GatorALLin
Note that you can print with metal or plastic.
here is a cool site where you can have almost any 3d printing file made for you easily. http://www.shapeways.com/themes/stainless_steel_3dprinting_gallery
by asiwel
The pressrelease linked to by this article above states:
“The way eventually led to assembly of the plane and four test flights in August and early September at Milton Airfield near Keswick. It achieved a cruising speed of 45 mph and is only the third 3-D printed plane known to have been built and flown.”
by renemf
Coming soon to a fundamentalist neighbourhood near you: the people’s drone strikes.
by melajara
Sure, targeting e.g. this $USD 500 billions+ worth symbol of arrogant colonialism/suprematism, the Eiffel tower in Paris!
see http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/eiffel-tower-europe-most-valuable-monument-else-made-195541700.html
by asiwel
Took a bit of time to find but here is the original plastic turbofan engine video link to YouTude, I think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvtCPYNbO18
by GatorALLin
Love that they kept at it…. amazing this is only the 3rd one ever done on a 3d printer. I just wish this university would post up all the 3d drawings to make the project open source so anyone at home could follow along and maybe even print all/some of the parts themselves. What a great learning opportunity.
by xaos
How did they print the skin?
by GatorALLin
…maybe the skin or covering for the wings was not a 3d printed item…. but maybe fiberglass?
by Ben Bradley
I doubt plans and such would be available since it was done with military funding. For some open-source (but not 3d-printed flying machines, check out diydrones.
by Gorden Russell
I wish there had been a picture of this plastic turbofan engine, not that I’m complaining.
Now that you can print a plane in Virginia, one day you will print spacecraft on the moon. (And of course, robots, solar arrays, and more printers.)
Today Virginia, tomorrow the Moon!
by blair
YES OH GOD YES. LETS START TOMORROW. YES.