Best Practices: How to model balsa planking on a model aircraft

[mnoreke]

Hello,

I am working on designing RC model airplanes (starting with an Ugly Stick), so I will use that as background for my question, although answers can be used using any project idea if it is easier for you.

I am wondering what the best way to model balsa planking or similar materials that are flat when cut, but curved when assembled. I will have vertical ribs for the wing, but then add planking that spans the ribs and follows the curve of the ribs. The planking though is flat, thin (1-3 mm balsa wood) and is cut to shape prior to attaching.

How do I model the curved shape of the planking in such a way as to be able to later get a drawing to send to a CNC to cut out the planking pieces out of large sheets of balsa?

Thanks in advance for any help and advice. Youtube videos or screencasts covering this topic are greatly appreciated. 🙂

[TrippyLighting]

One workflow has been posted by @TheCADWhisperer. It involves exporting the curved model as a .stl into Meshmixer and then there is some sort of a "flatten" tool in Meshmixer that wold allow you to do just that.

(I thought I had saved the link to that thread into my "collection" but apparently not 😕 )

Another option is ExactFlat, but I am not sure it is free and whether it is any better for this particular purpose.  

[TheCADWhisperer]

If you use Sheet Metal rules (uniform thickness and only cylindrical or conic bends) you could model and flatten entirely in Fusion.

This video was done for Inventor - but will work with an stl.

You might also consider signing up for the Inventor Beta, there might be something...  

[TheCADWhisperer]

I forgot the link to Inventor Beta...