EDF Jet Turbine

I’m an aeromodelling enthusiast currently working on a fixed-wing aircraft. To power it I created this custom design of an electric ducted fan (EDF), which is driven by an 800W RC brushless inrunner motor.

For this kind of modelling applications, stability is the biggest challenge. To make the EDF perfectly functional, all the parts had to be accurately designed, printed and balanced. That’s why I soon dismissed the idea to print the parts with FFF/FDM since the motor can warm up to 70°C at high speeds – temperatures, at which filaments start to become soft. I also noticed a significant wobble with PLA test prints, so I can’t really recommend that. PETG might have been another option, but its handling with support structures seemed to be too much of a hassle.

Since I’m working as an engineer at Sintratec (manufacturer of SLS printers) laser sintering seemed like the obvious next choice. I decided to print the parts on the Sintratec S2 with PA12 – a very resilient and durable mate