Conceptual Design Process of a Missile Model and Production Using Additive Manufacturing Method

Abstract

This study focuses on air-to-ground missile systems, which are widely used in Turkey and around the world and are becoming increasingly important. The development of missile systems takes into account various requirements defined by the end user. It is important to identify a system and its subcomponents that fully meet the requirements. This study analyzes an air-to-ground missile system and its main subcomponents identified through the conceptual design method based on the systematic design approach proposed by Pahl and Beitz. The aim is to determine the feasibility of obtaining an optimal solution that meets the requirements set by the conceptual design method. The missile design’s optimal solution was modeled using SolidWorks software. A three-dimensional (3D) printer with FDM production technology was used to produce a prototype of the computer-modeled design. ABS and ABS-plastic blend filaments were preferred due to their material properties in the FDM production process. During the printing stage, the filament and output settings of the model were determined using the 3D printer’s interface program. The filaments were then extruded through a nozzle, following the cross-sectional geometry of the part. The resulting model was printed in pieces and assembled with a tolerance of 0.1mm. This process resulted in a 3D model of the missile, which was created to represent the system structure in different colours. The study demonstrates that the conceptual design method can be used to develop innovative and meaningful missile models.