The Boeing Company
Single piece vehicle control surface and associated systems and methods of manufacture

Abstract:

A method of manufacturing a vehicle control surface includes generating, using an electronic controller, a three-dimensional plan for the vehicle control surface. The three-dimensional plan includes, at least, non-vehicular support structure dimensions, for a non-vehicular support structure, and skin dimensions for a skin. The method further includes configuring the dimensions of the non-vehicular support structure based on build environment characteristics associated with an additive manufacturing process of the control surface. The additive manufacturing process is based on the three-dimensional plan. The method further includes fabricating the vehicle control surface, using the additive manufacturing process, based on the three-dimensional plan.