Assessing Non-Planar Slicing and Carbon Fibre Filament Additives as Steps Towards 3D-Printed Drone Propellers

Abstract

Propeller design dramatically influences the performance of a drone and its ability to complete a mission. Operators in the field cannot carry the best propeller for any possible conditions, but with the advent of capable end-user 3D printers, may be able to manufacture them. This research assesses how non-planar model slicing and short-chopped carbon-fibre additives affect the mechanical performance of printed parts and viability of printed propellers. Creep testing simulating propeller thrust loading found coupons varied greatly in time to failure, although benefits of carbon-fibre additives were detected. Drop tests assessed impact behaviour, finding no link between material or slicing style and performance for a realistic propeller geometry. Simpler geometry resulted in both factors affecting performance, indicating possible benefits when applied in suitable situations. Results can be used to make informed selections of material and slicing type, also guiding future attempts at 3D-printing propellers.Firstly, I would like to thank my thesis supervisor Dr. Jeremy Laliberté, who oversaw my work from conception to completion. Thank you for continuously spending time helping me direct my work, find resources, understand problems, and turn my ideas into plans that could be executed.From my time spent in the lab, thank you to Chris Bassindale, who was always around to help with the practical aspects of my research and troubleshoot when things were going wrong. Thanks also to Stephan Biljan, who took the time to teach me about 3D scanning and helped me achieve much better results than I could have alone.Without the help of the MAE machine shop, I would not have been able to obtain many of the parts required to make my research happen. Thank you to Alex Proctor and the rest of the machine shop team for your guidance on materials, designs, and the build process, your patience in helping me carry out what work I could do myself, and your expertise in machining the parts I could not.Much of the assistance I received ended up coming from my fellow students. Thank you to Mila Kanvesky for being willing to answer all of the many 3D-printing questions I had and giving me a head-start on understanding the elements underpinning my thesis, as well as to Hayat El Fazani and Rahul Shah for teaching me about the processes used in their own work and how I might apply them.iii Finally, having spent my first year at Carleton doing everything remotely, I would like to thank those who supported me at home: my partner, Emily Semple, and my mother, Patricia Palmer. Without their motivation and encouragement, I'm not sure I would have been able to begin this thesis at all, let alone finish it.

Geometry-based decomposition rules and programming strategies for complex components in additive and hybrid manufacturing

“…In recent years, PBF has been considered as a new manufacturing method especially for turbine blades and much research has been done in this regard [21]. Material extrusion (or fused fiber filament (FFF)) or stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing methods with special materials and sintering processes to generate reliable results for blades fabrication have also been explored [22][23][24][25][26]. Recently, DED processes have been recognized as a useful tool for repairing or building turbine blades, propellers and impellers [27][28][29][30].…”