Design, manufacturing and preliminary wind tunnel model validation of an active camber compliant wing

The work here presented documents the design, optimization and manufacturing of leading edge and trailing edge morphing devices through the concept of compliant mechanisms. They were dimensioned for a wind tunnel scale model that was conceived and constructed in parallel. From numerical optimized solutions, obtained by means of dedicated tools developed during the last years of research at Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Aerospaziali here at Politecnico di Milano, a complete design cycle permitted for the first time to transform this concept into reality, making use of additive manufacturing techniques for producing the final parts. Several FEM models were produced in order to predict the effective behaviour of the actual counterparts, validating at the same time the correctness of reference numerical solutions. Correlation and updating procedures were heavily used in order to enhance CAD designed geometries and to assess the validity of computational models. In parallel, a technological investigation was carried out for the selection of a proper 3D printing process to finally achieve functional prototypes. Different physical specimens were manufactured and tested, eventually proving the feasibility of baseline morphing concept with experimental evidence. In summary, a fully working wind tunnel test bed with compliant 3D printed leading edge, called TELEMACO-W (Trailing Edge Leading Edge Active Compliant Wing), was achieved, ready for wind tunnel testing.