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Using OpenPVL_SW I a propeller design can be validated by the simulation work in
CosmosFloWorks and CosmosWorks. The simulation work is quite convenient for
propeller engineers to design and validate a propeller before fabrication.
3.2 sing Solidworks for Propeller Blade Geometry
A propeller can be designed by the parametric analysis and propeller design functions of
OpcnPVL. The OpenPVL_SW code was modified 10 create an output of
OpenProp_Solidworks.txt file for generating a propeller blade in SolidWorks. After
running the propeller design option, the file OpenProp_Solidworks.txt was created. Codes
for generating a propeller blade is recorded in the .Ixt format file. The .txt file records the
SolidWorks macro commands to generate a propeller blade. SolidWorks macro is a series
ofcommands and actions that can be stored and run within SolidWorks to automatically
draw geometry without manual working. Users can paste the codes in the window of
Solidworks macro to generate a propeller blade. The file has three main functions: to
generate foil section points for the propeller and connect each point to generate propeller
foil sections; to connect each leading edge point of the foil section to create a reference
line for the blade surface; to use SolidWorks "loft" fllnction to generate the propeller
blade based on the foil sections and the reference line. The flow chart shows how to
generate a propeller blade in Figure 16.
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