A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
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Re: A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
#2I wonder what material it was printed with.
edit: It was ABS-CF, which shouldn't be used under stress long-term in higher temperatures than maybe 65-70°C, or lower depending on the blend.
Re: A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
#3The actual report[1] holds the answer to the question you’re asking.
CF-ABS (or so claimed)
[1] https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-investigation-to-cozy-m...
Re: A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
#4Actual report: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/487013
Material was CF-ABS
Re: A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
#5I wonder what material it was printed with. edit: It was ABS-CF, which shouldn't be used under stress long-term in higher temperatures than maybe 65-70°C, or lower depending on the blend.
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Re: A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
#6I wonder what material it was printed with. edit: It was ABS-CF, which shouldn't be used under stress long-term in higher temperatures than maybe 65-70°C, or lower depending on the blend.
> The Cozy Mk IV light aircraft was destroyed after its plastic air induction elbow, bought at an air show in North America, collapsed.
Re: A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
#7At a glance, that looks like worse than merely the negligence of using a new technology.
The whole point of 3D printing is that the material is moldable when hot but rigid when it cools. And people really should be aware that engines get hot.
Re: A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
#8This might be Darwin Award eligible!
Re: A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
#9I wonder what material it was printed with. edit: It was ABS-CF, which shouldn't be used under stress long-term in higher temperatures than maybe 65-70°C, or lower depending on the blend.
CF-ABS
> An alternative construction method for the air induction elbow, shown in the Cozy Mk IV plans, is a lamination of four layers of bi-directional glassfibre cloth with epoxy resin. The epoxy resin specified for the laminate has a glass transition temperature of 84°C, after the finished part has been post-cured. The aircraft owner stated that as the glass transition temperature listed for the CF-ABS material was higher than the epoxy resin, he was satisfied the component was fit for use in this application when it was installed
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69297a4e345e3...
Re: A Cozy Mk IV light aircraft crashed after 3D-printed part was weakened by heat
#10I wonder what material it was printed with. edit: It was ABS-CF, which shouldn't be used under stress long-term in higher temperatures than maybe 65-70°C, or lower depending on the blend.
I wonder who installed it. Was the pilot home 3D printing mods for their plane? And is that even allowed? Super concerning if there was a company behind the installation.
I'd think any semi competent engineer would know better.
Edit: from the report - "A modification application was made to the LAA in 2019, by the aircraft owner2 , to replace the engine’s throttle body fuel injector with a mechanical fuel injection system. This system consisted of a fuel controller, high-pressure engine-driven fuel pump, electric auxiliary fuel pump, fuel flow transducer and associated fuel hoses, filters and fittings. Following flight testing, the modified fuel system was approved by the LAA in 2022. The modified fuel injection system had accumulated 37 hours in service when the accident occurred."
So the pilot himself and the LAA were incompetent. LAA is an association for amateur pilots though so I'm not sure what level of rigour they "approve" things with.