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The fast and cost-effective manufacturing of tools for thermoforming is an essential requirement to shorten the development time of products. Thus, additive processes are used increasingly in tooling for thermoforming of plastic sheets. However, a disadvantage of many additive methods is that they are highly cost-intensive, since complex systems based on laser technology and expensive metal powders are needed. Therefore, this paper examines how to work with favorable additive methods, e.g. Binder Jetting, to manufacture tools, which provide sufficient strength for thermoforming. The use of comparatively low-priced inkjet technology for the layer construction and a polymer plaster as material can be expected to result in significant cost reductions. Based on a case study using a cowling (engine bonnet) for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the development of a complex tool for thermoforming is demonstrated. The object in this study is to produce a tool for a complex-shaped component in small numbers and high quality in a short time and at reasonable costs. Within the tooling process, integrated vacuum channels are implemented in additive tooling without the need for additional post-processing (for example, drilling). In addition, special technical challenges, such as the demolding of undercuts or the parting of the tool are explained. All process steps from tool design to the use of the additively manufactured tool are analyzed. Based on the manufacturing of a small series of cowlings for a UAV made of plastic sheets (ABS), it is shown, that the Binder Jetting offers sufficient mechanical and thermal strength for additive tooling. In addition, an economic evaluation of the tool manufacturing and a detailed consideration of the required manufacturing times for the different process steps are carried out. Finally, a comparison is made with conventional and alternative additive methods of tooling.
The ability to change aerodynamic parameters of airfoils during flying can potentially save energy as well as reducing the noise made by the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) because of sharp edges of the airfoil and its rudders. In this paper, an approach for the design of an adaptive wing using a multi-material 3D printer is shown. In multi-material 3D printing, up to six different materials can be combined in one component. Thus, the user can determine the mixture and the spatial arrangement of this “digital material” in advance in the pre-processing software. First, the theoretical benefits of adaptive wings are shown, and already existing adaptive wings and concepts are explicated within a literature review. Then the additive manufacturing process using photopolymer jetting and its capabilities to print multiple materials in one part are demonstrated. Within the scope of a case study, an adaptive wing is developed and the necessary steps for the product development and their implementation in CAD are presented. This contribution covers the requirements for different components and sections of an adaptive wing designed for additive manufacturing using multiple materials as well as the single steps of development with its different approaches until the final design of the adaptive wing. The developed wing section is simulated, and qualitative tests in a wind tunnel are carried out with the wing segment. Finally, the additively manufactured wing segment is evaluated under technical and economic aspects.