FE Modeling And Analysis Validation of an Adaptive Winglet Structure

In an innovative system, it is essential to keep under control the crucial development phases, which should consider several aspects involving, for instance, the modeling or the assessment of suitable analytical representations. Aiming to pursue a final demonstration to verify the actual capability of an engineering idea, however, some fundamental elements may have been partially considered. Many projects state the initial and final technology readiness level based on the famous scale introduced by the US National and Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) many years ago and now widespread in many fields of technology innovation. Its nine-step definition provides a high-level indication of the maturity of the observed innovative system. Trivially, the resolution of that macroscopic meter is not made for catching advancement details, but it rather provides comprehensive information on the examined technology. It is, therefore, necessary to refer to more sophisticated analysis tools that can show a more accurate picture of the development stage and helps designers to highlight points that deserve further attention and deeper analysis. The risk is to perform a very good demonstration test that can miss generality and remain confined only to that specific experimental campaign. Moving on to these assumptions, the authors expose three realizations of theirs concerning aeronautic morphing systems, to the analysis of a well-assessed Technology Readiness Level instrument. The aim is to define the aspects to be further assessed, the aspect to be considered fully mature, and even aspects that could miss some elementary point to attain full maturation. Such studies are not so frequent in the literature, and the authors believe to give a valuable, yet preliminary, contribution to the engineering of breakthrough systems. Without losing generality, the paper refers to the 2.2 version of a tool set up by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and NASA, with the aim to standardize the evaluation process of the mentioned nine-step TRL.

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Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

A Preliminary Technology Readiness Assessment of Morphing Technology Applied to Case Studies

Miceli¹,

Ameduri

Dimino

et al. 2023

Biomimetics

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“…Figure 3. Morphing winglet architecture (left) and finger-like mechanism of the lower morphing tab of the winglet [11].…”

Section: Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

Design, manufacturing, and testing of a morphing winglet for a regional turboprop aircraft

Dimino

Pellone

Ameduri

et al. 2023

Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems XVII

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In this paper, the design, manufacturing and testing of a morphing winglet concept, developed in the framework of the Clean Sky 2 REG IADP AIRGREEN 2 Project is presented. Such an adaptive device is being developed by CIRA and manufactured by TECNAM to enhance wing aerodynamic efficiency in off-design conditions and reduce maneuver loads. The concept is based on two individual (asynchronous) morphing surfaces consisting of two “finger-like” mechanisms driving the same number of moveable surfaces (the upper and lower tabs), controlled by dedicated electromechanical actuators.

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“…Since the moving parts have a finger-like configuration, two typical tests, for both external and internal flaps, have been considered with the aim to validate the requirements [20]:…”

Section: Advanced Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinematic Chain of a Morphing Winglet: Specifications, Conceptual and Advanced Design

et al. 2023

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The present work focuses on the actuation system of a morphing winglet conceived to adaptively alter the load distribution on the wing, to reduce its stress level and enhance the climb performance. The winglet is equipped with two flaps, independently controlled by dedicated kinematic chains, in turn moved by linear electro-magnetic actuators. An interior finger-like architecture, relevant part of the actuation system, makes particularly smooth the deflections. Starting from a survey on similar applications and on the basis of the requirements at aircraft level, the specifications of the actuation system were defined. A preliminary outline of the system was thus addressed, identifying the main components, their role and their working mode. Then, the advanced design was finalized. To this scope and considering the large displacements that characterize this kind of application, a non-linear finite element approach was implemented. Both the deflection capability with and without loads and the stress level of the system were investigated. A critical overview was finally organized, comparing the achieved results with the expectations.

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FE Modeling And Analysis Validation of an Adaptive Winglet Structure

Cited by 4 publications

References 12 publications

A Preliminary Technology Readiness Assessment of Morphing Technology Applied to Case Studies

A Preliminary Technology Readiness Assessment of Morphing Technology Applied to Case Studies

Design, manufacturing, and testing of a morphing winglet for a regional turboprop aircraft

Kinematic Chain of a Morphing Winglet: Specifications, Conceptual and Advanced Design

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