rotor cnc machining software for dummies?

[KiteGuy]

Does anyone know of good software for designing and machining prototype or toy rotors. "Good software" means that it must be able to be understood by mere mortals -- such as myself.

-- Wayne German
WayneLGerman@Yahoo.Com
503-538-4132

[Heather Poe]

Wayne,
I have been using BobCad http://www.bobcad.com/ but I have not tried as complicated a surface as a rotor with it. It was bundled with my CNC mill, and I am satisfied with it so far.
Heather

[Jazzenjohn]

I've had Bobcad for many years too and I'm happy with it. Their are cheaper and better cad programs, the advantage with Bobcad is that it is a pretty good cnc program which comes with a postprocessor which is very valuable if you need it.

Which CNC mill do you have Heather?

[Heather Poe]

John,
I have a Prazi (Wabeco) CNC mill (http://www.ismg4tools.com/). My first project on it was to make a metal tachometer (http://www.camtronics-cnc.com/) case for it.
Heather

[KiteGuy]

Thanks Heather and John(?). I didn't really mean that I wanted to know what software to make the cnc machine work. Although, I can certainly understand how you could read that into my message since that is what I was saying. :rolleyes: If you were more intuitive you would know that what I really meant was that I was looking for good software to generate the 3d computer images of rotors that are optimized for all of the different flight parameters that I should be aware of but probably haven't got a clue.

I am not scared of learning new cnc software for the different mills that I would likely submit my drawings to. I am scared to death to make the drawings. I have Rhino3d and Autocad (which I just bought). But what I would really like to see is rotor designing software like the propeller designing software that is out there that allows you to simulate your designs before outsourcing them to a company that has a cnc mill them unleashing them upon the environment.

I would like to make some toy rotors, then small prototypes, then some that could be machined on an 16' x 8' x 4' mill for full scale half rotors.

If there is no good software to do this what is a good list of parameters that neophytes like myself could shoot myself with? Such as what airfoil shape should a newbie use for a rotor? What taper and how much? How much improvement does taper provide a rotor? What angle of attack is a good starting place if you are just rotoring and not gyroing? Where does all of this information hide? Who do you have to bribe?

Heather, I'm glad to see ladies such as yourself enjoying engineering -- particularly in their spare times. Am I allowed to say that much without being sexist?

Wayne German
Evergreen Ventures LLC
WayneLGerman@Yahoo.Com
503-538-4132

[Al_Hammer]

Wayne,

I don't know if it would be adequate for your needs, but a 3D program like GMAX might be useful for visualizing a concept. You can even do a wing or rotor based on your actual airfoil shape as shown in this tutorial.
http://www.airexotica.com/tuts/wing/wingtut.htm

Lots of the 3d helicopter renderings at http://hovercontrol.com/ were done with Gmax http://64.34.169.161/cgi-bin/ifolio/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Screenshot_Gallery

[Heather Poe]

Heather, I'm glad to see ladies such as yourself enjoying engineering -- particularly in their spare times. Am I allowed to say that much without being sexist?

Wayne,
My father was an engineer; I envied his knowledge, so I tried to learn from him, and the interest stuck. No offense taken or even considered.
Heather