Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

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TWrecks
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by TWrecks »

:D Nice, thanks!

Tim
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johnwang
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by johnwang »

TWrecks wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 am :D Nice, thanks!

Tim
To keep it works with old version, one needs to check FreeCAD version and import accordingly.

Here is the change needed:
https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic. ... 18#p606069
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Miggelbauer
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by Miggelbauer »

johnwang wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 12:21 pm

I asked this last year. Now I have a quick fix, same as https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic. ... 44#p599044

Find airPlaneRib.py, change:

Code: Select all

import freecad.plot.Plot as Plot

to

Code: Select all

#import freecad.plot.Plot as Plot
from FreeCAD.Plot import Plot
The first line is commented out.

You also need to install curvedshape WB.
No need to install "Plot Workbench".

Have fun.

John
Hi,

I'm quiet new to FreeCAD and tried to use the Airplane Design Workbench, but no matter what i do, even with your solution,
i get a message like "no module named "freecad.plot"".

When the Plot Werkbench is installed and i changed the code accordingly, the massage would say matplotlib not installed.

Is there anything else i can try?

Thanks for your Answers!
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Kunda1
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by Kunda1 »

@Miggelbauer welcome to the forum. Please post your full About info.
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scott_aero
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by scott_aero »

Hello, new user here!

I am one of those transitioning out of Fusion360 and in to FreeCAD. My background is aerospace structural analysis and design - I've worked on A320 to A380 and most in between. For the past few years, I have been designing my own UAVs for various purposes.

I have begun using OpenVSP in my workflow, as a method of generating the basic aero model. Amongst many other things, this program offers the ability to export step and iges files for the designed parts, as well as export profiles.

One of the options is to export airfoil points for all sections on a wing. This comes with a .csv file giving positional details of the leading and trailing edge points.

I had been starting to import these manually with the hope of creating a repeatable process for the creation of a wing with a thin skin, which I could then add internal structure to and integrate other items in. I see the airplane design workbench as going a long way down that path already, and I was wondering if there would be any interest in automating the process to go from OpenVSP to FreeCAD in this workbench? I can use the dat files the export macro creates from OpenVSP and fill in the spreadsheet for a wing, however the csv file the OpenVSP export process creates gives the opportunity to automate the entire import.

I can provide an example and go through the OpenVSP workbench side of things.
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Zolko
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by Zolko »

scott_aero wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 11:26 am I was wondering if there would be any interest in automating the process to go from OpenVSP to FreeCAD in this workbench ?
I'm not the maintainer for that workbench, but I'd say that the short answer is "no". The longer answer is that thank-you for your proposal, but other people use XFLR5 for such analysis, I personally use the Eppler code for viscous 2D airfoil design and Marc Drela's avl for 3D flow analysis, therefore, while OpenVSP might be a good tool, it's only 1 of the available tools. Also, designing a wing skin from airfoil coordinates in FreeCAD is quite easy, even a complex one, so there is no real benefit from such a conversion tool.

I also think that it's better to have the right tool for the right job, and the right tool is the one you know. Trying to make a Swiss knife that does everything is a Darwinian task: very few survive to tell the tale. This shouldn't refrain you from trying, but don't count on other people for this task. May-be you'll get help, may-be you won't.
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scott_aero
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by scott_aero »

Well, that's a good way to start interacting on the forums.

I'd have to disagree with you that developing an accurate OML for a wing using freecad is 'easy'.

I hadn't posted my life story, but I have been through the tools you mentioned in the past developing my workflow, and ended up at OpenVSP for a reason.

OpenVSP is used for developing accurate OMLs for use with CFD and FEA - as a result, it is the right tool for that job. You still need a CAD workflow to design and develop parts/molds and so on.

Looks like I'm on my own.
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Zolko
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by Zolko »

scott_aero wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 8:57 pm Looks like I'm on my own.
good summary: if it's important for you, if it's scratching an itch, then do it.
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Kunda1
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by Kunda1 »

scott_aero wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 8:57 pm OpenVSP is used for developing accurate OMLs for use with CFD and FEA - as a result, it is the right tool for that job. You still need a CAD workflow to design and develop parts/molds and so on.
I say keep rallying for it. I'm sure there are others that would be interested and may have the know-how.

Github: https://github.com/OpenVSP/OpenVSP
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adrianinsaval
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Re: Air Plane Design Workbench - discussion thread

Post by adrianinsaval »

Zolko wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 8:20 pm but other people use XFLR5 for such analysis
xflr5 is near discontinuation and it's successor is proprietary so this will not always be an option, for this reason the creator of this WB wanted to add xfoil analysis capabilities to this WB but I think didn't finish, I was at some point involved in this WB too. Maybe some day I'll pick up this again.

Anyways, about OpenVSP import, if you are able to do it yourself I think you should go ahead and implement it, otherwise I hate to say that this WB is currently stalled so you would wait a long time if not forever.
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