Leonardo Helicopter Division (formerly known as Augusta Westland) has produced a wind-tunnel model of its tilt-rotor AW609 using selective laser sintering (SLS) and Windform high-performance composite materials (Windform XT 2.0) supplied by CRP Technology — a 3-D printing company based in Modena, Italy (www.crptechnology.com).

Leonardo HD (www.leonardocompany.com) said it was “possible to complete and test the model in the wind tunnel within a very short time, with excellent results and with high-performing mechanical and aerodynamic properties”.

The project related to the manufacture of some external parts for the 1:8.5-scale wind-tunnel model of the prototype AW609.

This model was designed, manufactured and assembled under the supervision of Leonardo HD by Metaltech Srl for a series of dedicated low-speed wind-tunnel tests designed to cover a standard range of flight attitudes (at Leonardo HD’s wind-tunnel facility and at the Politecnico of Milan).

During the different test sessions, various external geometries were changed in order to understand all the aerodynamic phenomena, with the external main components redesigned and manufactured including: fuselage and nose components, fairings, nacelles and spinner shapes, empennage, wings and flaperons.

The ability to undertake the tests and make changes in a very short time were key to the success of these tests, as was the performance of the Windform material.