The long-term cooperation between CRP Technology (Modena, Italy) and Flying Cam (Belgium), a developer of unmanned airborne solutions, has led to the construction of the gearbox housing of the UAV Discovery tail rotor – the main housing connected to the main tail The flight ready components use the Windform XT 2.0 composite of CRP for 3D printing (powder bed fusion/PFB).
Discovery is a 75kg maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) unmanned single rotor helicopter. It is the latest, largest and most versatile system of Flying Cam so far, with stronger durability.
Flying Cam has chosen the high-performance Windform Top Line series composites proprietary to CRP Technology, especially Windform XT 2.0, which is a carbon fiber filled polyamide based 3D printing composite, especially suitable for motor sports, aerospace and unmanned aerial vehicles.
This material replaces the previous formula of Windform XT in the Windform Top Line material series for PBF created by CRP Technology, and has improved mechanical properties, including an increase of+8% in tensile strength,+22% in tensile modulus and+46% in elongation at break.
"This component is planned to be clamped on the tail beam and support the carbon [fiber] board used as the tail rotor ground protection," the relevant personnel pointed out. "Therefore, good pressure resistance is required. We chose Windform XT 2.0 because it allows us to achieve a good weight ratio." In addition, the mechanical and thermal properties of Windform materials are closely related to the characteristics of the 3D printing process.
"The most innovative aspect of using the 3D printing process and composite materials provided by CRP Technology is the free form design, which is important for aerodynamic purposes, and the ability to create complex wiring channels with strong connection points in a unique component," the relevant personnel emphasized. "More specifically, it is said that PBF process and Windform materials can manufacture hollow parts with many functional details, such as fixed nut integration and cable connection points."
"We started to cooperate with CRP Technology many years ago to achieve SARAH 3.0, our electric vertical takeoff and landing [eVTOL] UAV system, which has now been replaced by SARAH 4.0," added the relevant personnel. "CRP Technology 3D printed the body structure, air guide cooling system, tail unit and main battery connection."