VTX Rotorblades - Aero Engineering

[acidla]

Also need the 557 for Logo and Diabolo.

[VTX Designs]

This is the VTX557F (prototype blade) in my shop while undergoing geometry conformity checks. There are some tweaks that'll need to be made to get production blades 100% up to spec, but they're not a big deal.

When doing geometry conformity checks, the entire blade is checked against the mold model data: planform, airfoil, mass and cg are all squared up against our design data to ensure the mold Funkey is using for production matches the specification. VTX takes no chances.

The blue lines you see are airfoil stations - airfoil and/or planform shapes blend across these stations. (There are two other stations further outboard on the tip that aren't marked here. And yes the tip got chipped in transit) We use this concept of blending across multiple spanwise stations on all our blades. Now you can begin to see why VTX blades are so horrendously complex to design, and manufacture. This is also a major factor on cost, but we think the end result is worth it.



Fixture used for geometry checks:


I posted BIG pics here for y'all ... knowing it makes the frame size huge. If this is generally a bad idea somebody please tell me. Thanks!

edit: images resized to 640x480. Links to full size will be posted soon

Bill

Links to full size images:

Blade on worktable
Blade in geo check fixture

[Laughingstill]

Love it Bill!!!

[Johnny31297]

Bill, simply use [IMG640] tags instead of just [IMG]! That scales the pictures down to a reasonable size For that you need a direct link to the image file though, I suggest uploading the pics directly to the forum instead of Google. Example:

[prototype3a]

Leave the pictures big. They're not silly big like some other people occasionally post.

Why does your surface plate appear to be covered in oil?

Also, how do you like your Tormach vise? I have a PCNC1100 where I work and I generally hate it. But, I generally find things to hate about every CNC machine I've used over the years.

[flint723]

I agree either leave them big (1280 wide isn't bad), or use 640 tags AND post links to original sizes.

That 640 image has no detail, and I want to see detail.

[Johnny31297]

Originally Posted by flint723

I agree either leave them big (1280 wide isn't bad), or use 640 tags AND post links to original sizes.

That 640 image has no detail, and I want to see detail.

Right-click resized pic, "Open in new tab", boom done there's the original

[flint723]

Originally Posted by Johnny31297

Right-click resized pic, "Open in new tab", boom done there's the original

Except it isn't, since the original was 1280 wide. Right clicking your resized pic gives a 1024 wide image (the max allowed to upload to helifreak). May still work if you had an external image linked, did not test.

[VTX Designs]

Originally Posted by prototype3a

Leave the pictures big. They're not silly big like some other people occasionally post.

Why does your surface plate appear to be covered in oil?

Also, how do you like your Tormach vise? I have a PCNC1100 where I work and I generally hate it. But, I generally find things to hate about every CNC machine I've used over the years.

P-3A: the vise is very good. Dead flat and parallel. Chinese but they're capable of doing good work in a few of their factories these days. My shop is equipped with a PCNC1100-3 and the Bridgeport you see here which is a '99 model with 2.5D CNC. I also have a really beautiful Monarch 10EE. For me the PCNC is a dream. As you most likely know, it's well suited to doing 3D work and has superb accuracy. The surface plate has granite cleaner on it (I leave it there for a few minutes as it has a nice conditioning effect on the stone even after wiped off)

Jonas and others - thx for the pointers on posting pics. I'll resize these after I get back to the office and provide full size links.

[prototype3a]

deleted.

[jazsop]

Any word on the 557 blades release date?

[VTX Designs]

Originally Posted by jazsop

Any word on the 557 blades release date?

Jazsop, at this time its a matter of $$$ to get production tooling cut and blade lots going. Who said it? - "no bucks no Buck Rogers" (I think that was from the Right Stuff movie) But to answer your question: should be in a few months.

To get a deliverable blade lot, first a bunch of blades are made then they're hand sorted and matched by weight/cg to flyable pairs. That means to get, say, 100 blade sets ready to fly it probably takes 300 individual blades made. And then when you factor in the rejection rate that number rises to well over 400 to get 100 "A" sets out the door... Once the production line ramps up then we can see better sustained production and more predictable time lines. Until then ... gotta wait.

[Rosquillos]

Originally Posted by VTX Designs

Jazsop, at this time its a matter of $$$ to get production tooling cut and blade lots going. Who said it? - "no bucks no Buck Rogers" (I think that was from the Right Stuff movie) But to answer your question: should be in a few months.

To get a deliverable blade lot, first a bunch of blades are made then they're hand sorted and matched by weight/cg to flyable pairs. That means to get, say, 100 blade sets ready to fly it probably takes 300 individual blades made. And then when you factor in the rejection rate that number rises to well over 400 to get 100 "A" sets out the door... Once the production line ramps up then we can see better sustained production and more predictable time lines. Until then ... gotta wait.

Hopefully its ready by the time the new logo 550 comes out.

[apper001]

What do the 557 and 607 weigh?

[VTX Designs]

The 557 is 120g.

It also features a whopping 45 square inches of blade area - and roughly 60% of that blade area is placed where it works with high efficiency.

607 isn't through prelim design yet. Still working on it here at my office.

[mahbouni]

Is 617 definitely confirmed? Seems so close to 607, I'm wondering if we'll notice much difference. I'd prefer 627 myself.

[prototype3a]

on 607 vs 617 vs 627... I'll probably buy 607s but I could see 627s selling for birds like the Goblin 630 where you really need a longer blade.

In the past, I ran Edge 623s but my Logo600 was heavy back then.

[mahbouni]

Between 607 and 617 I'd probably just get 617. Between 607 and 627 I'd definitely get both.

[VTX Designs]

Mahbouni - 607mm is the size I've been directed to work up. So far I haven't heard any plans from VTX for 617, but who knows?

I *have* heard talk about 767 as well as something smaller than the 477... but that's pretty much "rumor mill" for the time being.

[Rosquillos]

So when is all these blade size available? Is it still a $$$ issue?