Learning Blade 3D Maker Quest - Lightweight Glider

Overview and Background

Have you ever considered how aircraft are designed and tested? The search of faster, safer, and better air travel is constantly producing improvements to aircraft designs. An important step in the design process is testing.

Lesson Plan and Activity

Customizing the Gliders

After downloading, the model files for the glider can be edited and customized. The individual files for the glider wings, body, cockpit, and tail fins are included separately so students can create their own glider design. Students may either modify the completed glider model or the individual component files to make their own glider designs. Students may use any 3D modeling software they’re comfortable with to edit the glider components. TinkerCad.com is a popular, free 3D modeling application that most students will find easy to use. Regardless of which 3D modeling software the students use, they should be encouraged to understand how 3D designers use similar software to create digital models of objects.

Printing and Assembling the Glider

After the files are ready to print, students should import them into the 3D slicing software. The complete glider is designed to print within a 120 mm x 120 mm x 120 mm print volume. The model could be scaled, but any changes in scale could affect the fit of the components. Once the slicing software has prepared the printing instructions, all of the glider components should be printed and carefully removed from the printing surface. Check all components for excess material or unwanted strings across the component surfaces. Smooth, clean surfaces will yield the best results. Depending on the tolerances of your 3D printer, the glider cockpit and tailfin may require slight trimming or filing to fit into the slots in the glider’s body. Carefully measure the component, remove small amounts of material with a knife, and test for fit. Remove more material and refit if needed. The glider wings should be flexible enough to bend and shape to fine-tune how the wing and tail surfaces affect the glider’s flight. A simple launcher file is also included. After printing the launcher, insert a rubber band into the launcher’s hole, then loop the free end of the rubber band through the end of the band that was inserted into the hole. Pull the free end of the band tight so the band is secured to the launcher handle.

Flying the Glider and Testing Its Design Efficiency

Students should observe basic safety procedures when flying their gliders. The gliders should never be launched towards others. Students should also keep in mind the gliders may fly and turn unexpectedly, and only test the gliders in safe, open areas. The glider may be launched by hand or with a rubber band launcher. Launching by hand is fast and easy, but produces less consistent flights. To use the launcher, insert the glider’s tail hook (located underneath the glider cockpit) into the rubber band. Hold the launcher handle in one hand and the end of the glider body in the other. Pull the glider back while extending the launcher handle until the rubber band is taunt. Quickly releasing hold of the glider body should send it flying. Each student should launcher their glider several times and record the distance flown for each. An average of the flight distances can be used to compare which glider designs had the greatest efficiency.

Additional Ideas

Once all of the glider designs have been tested, students could be allowed to redesign their gliders. They should consider which designs performed the best and worst, and use that evaluation to help redesign their own gliders. Once the second round of gliders has been tested, ask the students to discuss why they made the changes they made. Also, have them discuss how the overall glider performance changed in the second round of testing. Students can also redesign the launcher handle. The included launcher design is intentionally basic, but students may wish to design and print their own launchers. Students could test multiple launcher designs with their gliders, and compare average flight distances to measure which launcher designs were more effective.

Materials Needed

A 3D printer with PLA, or another printer-compatible filament The 3D model files for this Maker Quest 3D modeling application 3D slicing software Rubber band (for glider launcher) Knife, scissors, and other simple tools for component fitting and assembly