Choosing software

[Anonymous]

Let me explain you my situation first: I am a student and I
want to build a model airplane (my own design) out of balsa wood. As there are so many
different softwares I don´t know which of them I should choose.
First of all I need an airflow simulation feature for aerodynamic
analysis of an airplane. But most importantly the software should
support CAD, because I want to cut the ribs out of wood plates with a
cnc milling machine. My plan is to design the outlines with aerodynamic simulation (in 3D) first.

With this data make a complex CAD model, like in the picture below (3D), which I can convert into 2D for the milling process.

The picture shows a plane with the same construction method.

Thank you for your help!

[Curtis_Waguespack · Accepted solution]

Hi jonas49AJY, 

I think Autodesk Inventor combined with Autodesk Flow Design would work for your project.

You'd model the airplane in Inventor, export that to Autodesk Flow Design, then once satisfied with the results in Flow Design you'd return to Inventor and start making the balsa wood skeleton parts.

Creating the balsa parts could be done in a number of ways, possibly using something like this Puzzle Maker add in:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-customization/puzzle-maker/m-p/6241033/highlight/true#M62741

Once the balsa parts are modeled you would then export those as DXF or STEP files for manufacturing with your CNC

Autodesk Flow Design

https://www.autodesk.com/products/flow-design/overview

Puzzle Maker add in demo:

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Thank you for the fast and detailed response 🙂