Altair > Case Studies > Optimization and 3D Printing of UAVs at Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune

Optimization and 3D Printing of UAVs at Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune

Technology Category

Drones - Multirotor Drones

Applicable Industries

Electronics
Packaging

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Additive Manufacturing
Rapid Prototyping

Services

Drone Operation Services
Testing & Certification

About The Customer

The 'customer' in this case study is the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) in Pune, India. Established in 1983, MIT Pune is among the top engineering colleges in India. The institute believes in providing its students with the right resources and environment to tackle and find solutions to the most challenging engineering problems faced by society today. The project was undertaken by a group of undergraduate students from MIT, working under the guidance of Mr. Girish S. Barpande, Associate Professor, MIT Pune, and Mr. Chaitanya Kachare, Associate Professor, Transportation Design from MIT Institute of Design.

The Challenge

The Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) in Pune, India, was faced with the challenge of designing, fabricating, and testing a Quad-rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that uses topology optimization to decrease weight and increase strength. The project was undertaken by a group of undergraduate students under the guidance of faculty members. The objective was to leverage the design freedom provided by the unmanned nature of the vehicle to amplify the vehicle's performance. The team aimed to find a simple and fast solution to finding the structural improvements needed to enhance the quad-rotor UAV. The challenge also involved dealing with the complexity of designs generated by topology optimization when no manufacturing constraints are added.

The Solution

The team used solidThinking Inspire in the design process to optimize the UAV design space and create two new lightweight designs that were 3D printed for the UAV. They started with a simple Unibody (Monocoque) airframe structure based on the design calculations and packaging space of electronics, components, and payload. Two design methodologies were used: a multi-phased optimization process and a minimalistic design based on fundamental mechanics of the UAV. The load cases were verified by carrying out real-time tests on an off-the-shelf airframe with similar configurations as that of the prototype. The optimized designs were then refined and prepared for manufacturing by removing sharp contours and stress concentration points using the PolyNURBS tool. The team received support from DesignTech Systems Ltd, Pune, a leading CAD/CAM/CAE/PLM, additive manufacturing technologies and solutions provider, and Stratasys 3D printers.

Operational Impact

The operational results of the project were highly successful. The team was able to successfully implement topology optimization and 3D printing synergistically. The flight tests of the 3D printed airframes showed very stable flight characteristics, and the drone went through multiple crash tests unharmed. The team was able to drastically reduce the design time and the number of necessary parts from six to one. The average weight of the UAV was reduced by 32% compared to the initial base model. The team plans to use the solidThinking Inspire’s “Optimization Driven Design” method to design an operation ready military glider drone in the future.

Quantitative Benefit

Successful implementation of Topology optimization and 3D printing synergistically.
Stable flight characteristics were observed in testing of both the fabricated air-frames.
Drastic reduction in design time.