In this paper development of shape optimization program for three-dimensional wing lofting is described. This Program could be used as an useful and convenient tool for research engineering work in several fields because it offers fundamental and esse...
In this paper development of shape optimization program for three-dimensional wing lofting is described. This Program could be used as an useful and convenient tool for research engineering work in several fields because it offers fundamental and essential functions for data pre/post processing and user-friendly environment based on GUI. The program represents user-specified wing sections by approximating them with NURBS curves for each section, and the overall wing surface is approximately represented by interpolating those sectional NURBS curves in the span-wise direction. By using this approximate representation of wing shape, surface waviness in the span-wise direction from root to tip can be quantified and mathematically analyzed. Discontinuity of curvatures and severe waviness of wing surface can be monitored and improved by moving those control points of sectional NURBS curves. After the lofting process, the NURBS-based surface data is seamlessly used to generate 3D volume grid system for CFD analysis of lofted wing shape. Although the program still needs some improvement for user-convenience and shape approximation accuracy, it has shown the possibility of developing a wing-lofting program which can be customized to satisfy users’ requirements, and further research to extend its functionality and improve its accuracy will be pursued.