Week 3 Update

Seventy meters left in the 100 meter dash.  That is where we are now.  On December 14, 1903 the Wright brothers attempted their first flight, resulting in the airplane diving into the sand.  On April 24, 2017, Daniel and Andy attempted the first flight of our two-string indoor stunt kite, which resulted in the kite diving into the concrete.  Similar stories and look where planes are now.  Hopefully our kite will be there some day.

This week was a very busy week.  On Thursday during class, we started by 3-D printing out the nose piece of the kite designed in week 2. And it only took 13 minutes to print! So we decided to print out the rest of the connectors as well, instead of creating the connectors out of plastic tubing.  Choosing to 3-D print will lower the cost of the kite since the plastic used to print the pieces is cheaper then the tubing we were going to use.  The digital version of the 45-degree end corners and the 3-way T-joint connectors are pictured below in Figure 1 and Figure 2, respectively.

Figure 1 - 45-Degree End Corner

Figure 2 - 3-Way T-Joint Connector

While two of the 45-degree end corners and three of the 3-way T-Joint connectors were being printed, a digital model of the kite's frame was created to help facilitate building the kite.  Figure 3 below shows this model, and a digital drawing of the frame can be found here.

Figure 3 - Digital Kite Frame

Using the digital model and drawing of the kite frame, an actual model could be built!  Using the materials listed in the drawing, it was really easy.  After some experimenting with methods to cut the carbon fiber rods to avoid splinters, it took about 10 minutes to build the frame of the kite.  After creating the frame, it was decided to first try the kite with plastic from a lightweight trash bag.  We decided to do the first fitting with this material because of the similarities to nylon and the bag's low cost.  The plan was to make a rough fitting with the plastic that could be used as a template for the nylon. When it comes to fitting the kite with nylon, the more expensive material, hopefully no mistakes will be made.  Figure 4 and Figure 5 below show the kite from two different points of view, fitted with plastic.

Figure 4 - Top Isometric View of Kite

Figure 5 - Bottom Isometric View of Kite

After attaching the strings of the kite in line with the center of gravity of the kite, it was time to fly.  We took the kite to the Myers Hall Courtyard, where most of the wind is blocked.  This gave us a big spot outside simulating the space inside a big room in a building.  During the first flight, we were able to notice that the kite kept stalling.  After building the kite, we did a gliding test, which showed us that the kite was back heavy.  This lead us to add some weight to the nose of the kite.  After adding a penny to the front the kite, it glided really well, so we knew this was not the case outside.  This lead us to the conclusion that the two strings and their bridles where too far back on the kite.

This week, we also came to the conclusion that the easiest way to cut nylon without making it fray is by using a hot soldering iron.  This iron seals the edge of the nylon by melting the strands together.

During Week 4 of the project, we hope to change the material of the kite from plastic to nylon, along with find the perfect position to attach the strings to the kite.  Some of the problems we will most likely encounter in the following week are finding the exact placement of the strings and finding the best way to attach the nylon to the 6 in. vertical carbon fiber rods in the back of the kite.  Since both of our problems that we expected to have last week (creating the connectors for the kite and finding the perfect weight distribution) were both addressed this week, the goals for this week are definitely achievable.  This keeps in line with the schedule that was posted in the Week 1 update.