Testing and evaluation of the structural performance of a 3D-printed polylactic acid aircraft wing rib

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation of the structural performance of a 3D-printed Polylactic Acid (PLA) wing rib structure that is integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) sensory capabilities for application in an Industry 4.0 ecosystem. Both finite element analysis and experimental testing were employed to assess the strain distribution in the structure under various loading conditions and testing setups. The Taguchi approach was utilized to identify the physical factors and their interactions that have a significant impact on the strain distribution in the structure. The findings indicate that the bending load versus strain curve is highly influenced by the applied load position and wing rib cut-out locations, while the structural performance is also highly dependent on torsion. The incorporation of sensory locations with covers improved the component’s ability to withstand traction load and resulted in a 61% reduction in corresponding strain. The most significant factor during bending tests was identified as the applied load, along with the interactions between the load location and crosshead speed of the testing machine.