Program to generate Gcode for wind turbine blades

**Jonathan** · 30-09-2010

Now I don't expect many people on this forum are going to be making wind turbine blades, but I thought I'd post the program I've written anyway.

Any ideas on how to make it more efficient/better toolpath are welcome. Currently mach3 simulation suggest it will take 5 hours to cut one side of my 1.68m blade.

I've not added any error checking yet, so don't be surprised if you crash it! [Consider it an 'Alpha' release.] The Gcode it generates looks fine in Mach3, but I've not tried running it yet.

I should probably use C not Vb6...it'd almost certainly be a lot faster.

**AdCNC** · 30-09-2010

You have my attention Jonathan. My dad does powered hang gliding and hes been on at me to make him a propeller. but ive not got my head around designing one nor generating the code.. seems tricky in my eyes!

**Jonathan** · 02-10-2010

Originally Posted by AdCNC

You have my attention Jonathan. My dad does powered hang gliding and he's been on at me to make him a propeller. but I've not got my head around designing one nor generating the code.. seems tricky in my eyes!

Er..sounds like an interesting project! The way I've done it is not as difficult as it looks. Basically the program copies a NACCA4412 aerofoil along the blade, scales it and rotates it to the correct angle of attack. It also translates the aerofoils in the Z/Y plane to create the tapered blade...making the leading edge curved not straight - looks nicer!

With regards to using it for propellers it shouldn't take much adapting...just enter points for the aerofoil you want to use (ok I'll make it so you can do that..), and er.......what's the formula for working out the angle of attack, chord width etc? It might be similar to a wind blade, not sure. If you can point me to some more information ot how to calculate the profile then I'll give it a go!

**AdCNC** · 03-10-2010

hmmm ok, i will try and get you some info on the shape of the propeller if thats what your asking for?

**Jonathan** · 04-10-2010

Yes, that's essentially what I'm after...some formula/formulas that describe the profile.

**AdCNC** · 05-10-2010

Ok.. ill come back to you in the next few days, btw ive had a play round with your program and every time i try and generate code it stops respondnding at about 57% :S running on win7 64bit

**Jonathan** · 05-10-2010

Originally Posted by AdCNC

Ok.. ill come back to you in the next few days, btw ive had a play round with your program and every time i try and generate code it stops respondnding at about 57% :S running on win7 64bit

Er, looks like the % counter has gone wrong! If it doesn't get to 100% then don't worry, as long as the GCode appears in the big text box then it's done. I'll try and fix the counter...

I'm also using win7/64b, can take few minutes or so to run with a smallish tool - try the default settings. Windows thinks the program has crashed, but it hasn't ... just wait for it!

**AdCNC** · 04-04-2011

Hi Jonathan, i was looking at your other post (the one with the prop) im going try n give it ago myself have you done any revisions of the software since i last tried it?