Pieces and Parts

[Badland-F5 Pilot]

With the advent of 3D printing, we are now able to make parts at home that are applicable to aircraft. This means the parts are light weight, strong, and inexpensive (not including the printer, printing material, and time it takes to learn the process). The forums co-founder and I are in the process of prototyping some ideas we've come up with for pieces and parts for our ultralights. For those wondering if this technology is worth getting into, that'll all depend on how good you are with computers, CAD programs, and dealing with frustration! Yes, frustration should actually top the list of deterrents for 3D printing. Though the technology has come down in price to a very reasonable level, this usually is at the sacrifice of high reliability and quality. So far with my 3D printer I've had about a 1/10th success rate. Meaning that for each time I have a successful (or acceptable) print, I've tossed 9 others that didn't work. This mind you is only the print itself. The design could be perfectly acceptable, but something would go wrong with the print. There are no less than about 30 critical settings when moving a design from the CAD software over to the printer software, and then into the printer. In reality there are more than 100 selections in the printer software that have to be near perfectly selected. More than anything, 3D printing takes time, a lot of time. Printing is not instant or like a paper printer. I've had small designs take 14+ hours to print. I've got one going right now (which is actually just a toy for one of my grand nieces that's going on 18 hours), and it's only 61% done. The toy being printed is being printed with a plastic filament that is very difficult to print with, very finicky about the printers heat and movement settings.

The first step to any new item to add to an ultralight aircraft of course is the idea. Many ideas translate over from GA and LSA aircraft. However unless you have deep pockets, purchasing some of the existing items is crazy outrageous. Why? One word – Certification. GA and LSA do not have the luxury of being able to install many items that are not certified for flight use. That is unless they are experimental, which we could actually say that all ultralights are. We have the “permission” to install whatever we want on our aircraft, without getting approval from the FAA. Even experimental aircraft have to go through an FAA approval process before the pilot can carry a passenger. Ultralights don’t have this requirement simply because we don’t carry anyone but ourselves.

So what are we in the process of designing? Well I can’t go into that too much as we’re keeping some secrets to ourselves. I can tell you about a wheel made completely out of printed plastic, and it is strong. The idea here is, as with most items for ultralights is to make the wheel as light as possible. This wheel is being tested by Badland Aircraft. I’m not exactly sure what the plans are for use, but as I’m not the designer. I was only asked to print the wheel. I have seen the wheel with a tire on it, and it’s freaking awesome looking. It weighs in at only 2.8oz. It’s for an 8” light weight tire.

3D printing is allowing the design of everything from simple placards and custom labels to actual aircraft parts that can be replaced with this light weight material. You may ask, what about strength and durability? The materials being created with 3D printing are very strong. There are many different types. I’m just about ready to start working with a material that should be very strong – Carbon Fiber. Yes, carbon fiber has been incorporated into 3D printing material. I’ve seen a hobbyist race car driver in the UK make an intake manifold out of carbon fiber material. Many online are now calling carbon fiber 3D printing material – Black Aluminum because of the materials strength. Though not as strong as aluminum, the carbon fiber material is lighter and suitable in many applications.

Simpler items can also be created. I will most likely have my instruments labeled with placards I’ve designed and 3D printed. Visors, handles, cable and electrical clips and retainers, and many other items can be made with this method.
The CAD programs used to create the items are becoming easier and easier to use, and in a few cases they are free!

The process is slow, but all design work from prototype to final product take time. I’m looking forward to designing and building items to be used in my ultralight.

More to come as we make progress on design and printing of UL parts.