The Build Team’s work in the Fall 2021 semester included engineering a new iteration of the landing gear, implementing a bay door for easier electrics management, and implementing wing flaps to the existing truss-braced wings. The team also investigated manufacturing options for current and upcoming components using non-3D-printing materials, such as aluminum. The team also built the AL37 aircraft and installed servos and control surfaces to the aircraft and was in charge of ensuring the aircraft was ready to fly.
The Build/Development Team is remaking the AL37 into a CAD model that can be utilized with Star-CCM. This CAD model will allow for the testing of new airfoils by changing out the wings. They will work with Tech Team after Star-CCM analysis to determine a new airfoil for the truss wings. They will continue to maintain the AL37 and ensure all components function properly and fix parts as needed, such as replacing servos. At the end of the semester, they will begin to reinvestigate the carbon-fiber aircraft and begin planning out how to approach the issues the project faced last semester with fixing the aircraft. The plan is to compile a document that the next project manager can use to plan out using what we learned from the AL37 for the carbon-fiber aircraft.
Build Team Members consist of the team leader Gabriel Ortiz, and members Jovanni Balley, Khanh Hoang, Nicolas Oneto, & Ryan Rouleau.
4/29 Update: End of Semester Recap:
The Build/Development Team remade the AL37 control aircraft into a CAD model that can be utilized with Star-CCM. Afterward, the CAD model was placed into STAR-CCM+ to get the angle of attack and L/D data. This CAD model will allow for the testing of new airfoils by changing out the wings. Currently, the team has tested the AL37’s airfoil, the NACA-2412, and YS-930 in Star-CCM+. The team also worked with Tech Team in developing a brace to hold the pitot tube. The Build Team also presented our work at the Student Innovation Center’s IGNITE Move the World Challenge.