CAD software for beginner

[David Ovenden]

Hi,

This question is probably answered somewhere on the forum, but so far a search hasn't led me to it!

I want to design the  wing for my Cessna Bobcat. I don't need to do a complete detailed plan, but I DO want to be able to plot the wing ribs for the tapered wing with a progressive change of NACA profile from root to tip, and Ideally show spar and LE locations.

What would be a suitable app/ program to do this?  

I am capable of doing it by hand, but like the idea of using the PC to make printing out shapes easier. (Maybe even laser cut ribs??)

Who has experience and what to you suggest?

Thanks

[Bob Cotsford]

http://www.profili2.com/  is the usual recommendation for wing ribs

[John Stainforth]

Profili2 and Compufoil are two cheap packages that do the job. I slightly preferred the latter, because it allows one to import arbitrary wing planform coordinates. Both these applications are limited in what they can do, and you may find that it is worthwhile in the long run to acquire and learn to use a full 3D CAD program.

Edited April 17, 2021 by John Stainforth

[David Ovenden]

Thanks Bob for your recommendation. 

 

John, 

What full 3D CAD program would you suggest?

Thanks

David

 

[John Stainforth]

It's all a question of cost and the time taken to learn how to use them.  They range from freeware to packages costing 4000 to 5000 pounds. I would try Profili and/or Compufoil first (they are very cheap), to get into the swing of things, and then some of the 3D CAD freeware on the internet. You will have to Google that, because I am not up-to-date with what is available. It is really is best to go for 2D rather than 3D from the outset.

 

The top of the range are the big packages like AutoCAD and SolidsWorks, which is probably the very best - it was used by Boeing to design the Dreamliner, for example. 

 

Then there are the low priced packages (100 or 200 pounds), which are pretty good as far as they go, but have serious limitations. I tried TurboCAD, DoubleCAD, DevCad, TotalCAD, Alibre Personal (there are trial versions of most of these). This process drove me nuts, because each program would look so hopeful at first, and then one would find a show stopper for model aircraft design, such as an inability to bring in 3D point clouds or angle rotations only in increments of one degree.

 

I ended up using Rhino, which is in the middle price range (about 800 pounds). This does everything one could want, but is not fully parametric: when you edit one part, you have to edit the adjacent parts, whereas the top-of-the-range products do that automatically.

 

It's really a question of whether you get sufficiently interested in 3D CAD to invest the time and money - really you have to treat it as a sub-hobby and expect to take about a year to become really proficient. None of these packages is difficult to use, but they are very complicated, with an enormous number of commands and different ways of doing similar operations.

 

If you like drawing with pen and paper, you will probably fall in love with 3D CAD; otherwise, it may not be worth your while. I personally think that it adds a whole new dimension to aeromodelling.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Devwing is very good for designing wings, and comes with a complete selection of wing ribs. You can also spec wing tabs with dihedral and wash out etc.

[David Ovenden]

2 minutes ago, Frank Skilbeck said:

Devwing is very good for designing wings, and comes with a complete selection of wing ribs. You can also spec wing tabs with dihedral and wash out etc.

thanks Frank.,

I was looking at Devwing and thinking it had some neat features.

[Frank Skilbeck]

1 minute ago, David Ovenden said:

thanks Frank.,

I was looking at Devwing and thinking it had some neat features.

I've borrowed my friends copy a few times and drawn up wing ribs for several scale gliders. He also has Devfus, but I find that gets confused if you try to do something a bit unusual, but Devwing is really easy to use.