Richard Shepherd - Jose Rios - Bruk Sahilu

Mission: Team Airwolf is set to test the

stresses applied to a Helicopter Rotor Blade as it rotates about an axis

Measure the forces acting on a helicopter rotor blade by: Making a free body diagram of the entire

rotor blade machine. Use analytical techniques to calculate

external forces. Apply the principles of Dynamics to a 3D

rotor blade using Solidworks, and Nastran4D

Make design decisions based on simulations that apply Newtons’ Laws

Design Recommendations

Design:

First, the airfoil shape was sketched using Solidworks. A simple extrusion provides a rotor blade.

Design:

Then, two cones were drawn at the base to provide an anchor contact surface and a contact point for the pitch rod to attach.

Design:

Then, the blades will all connect to this rotor hub/shaft.

Design: After making a few smaller connecting parts it is

possible to generate an assembly of the complete rotorhead. The model is now ready to be imported into Nastran 4D.

Design: And finally, FEA analysis was performed on

the blades.

Results:

The stresses are concentrated at the base of the rotor blades as to be expected. This is due to a combination of the weight of the blades hanging as a cantilever along with the centripetal accelerations accumulating into concentration points nearer to the hub.

Future Missions:

Potential Lift Variable Actuators Blade Collision

Jose J. Granda, Ph.D.

The End