Moulton, Benjamin (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Hunsaker, Doug (College of Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department)
A morphing allows for more efficient controlled flight. Morphing wings induce a continuous deflection of control surfaces. Deflection can be caused by compliant mechanisms and composite materials. Factors contributing to efficient morphing wings range from a continuous morphing trailing edge to stiffness and flexure. Wing stiffness supports aerodynamic loading. Wing flexure supports transverse deflection, or twist of the wing trailing edge. Graduate students in the USU Aerolab have written an algorithm to optimize where these deflections should occur on the wing. The student seeks to build a morphing wing to demonstrate the success of the optimization code. Different manufacturing methods are explored. 3D printing provides the most promising results. The 3D printing of thermoplastic materials allows for shear and deflection.