Excel based GA Airfoil coordinate generation for Windows

Discussion in 'Aircraft Design / Aerodynamics / New Technology' started by TinBender, Jan 8, 2015.

Tags:
1. Jan 8, 2015

TinBender

Well-Known Member

Joined:
Mar 4, 2010
Messages:
218
53
Location:
Charlotte, NC, USA
GA Airfoils

The attached Excel file will create .dat files at the click of a button. This uses the late Harry Riblett's method for airfoil generation. It will only work on Windows systems because I used Visual Basic for Applications to generate the files. It was originally written in Excel with scripts for Mac, but I abandoned that when I got a new PC for engineering school. Users must enable Macros to export .dat files. The first page is formatted for printing on 8.5x11 paper. Be sure to create the folder like it explains on the first page.

Rename the extension of the download to .xlsm to ensure it functions perfectly. I renamed it .xls for the upload.

Enjoy.

If you are a Mac or Linux user, see https://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/...4-perl-script-riblett-airfoil-generation.html

Attached Files:

File size:
84.3 KB
Views:
404
• ga35a218.PNG
File size:
31.6 KB
Views:
331
BJC, SVSUSteve, etard and 5 others like this.
2. Jan 8, 2015

Aviator168

Well-Known Member

Joined:
Sep 21, 2012
Messages:
2,205
249
Location:
Brookville, NY. USA
Thanks for posting. I like the linux version.

3. Jan 18, 2015

TinBender

Well-Known Member

Joined:
Mar 4, 2010
Messages:
218
53
Location:
Charlotte, NC, USA
There will be a snag if you try to create the "series dat". There is a line in the macro that must be changed. The bolded text below must be changed to exactly match the file name. Remember also to change the downloaded file's extension from .XLS to .XLSM before running.

To display and edit a macro in excel, you might need to enable display of the "Developer Tab".

You may want to limit the files that are created to a more usable range. In the code below, the variable called ItNum represents twice the thickness of the airfoil. This encumbrance was created the first day working on the project when I wished to use integers to increase computation speed, while allowing thicknesses in 0.5% increments.Thus, the numbers in red mean this code will create all iterations of the airfoil from 1% to 50% thickness in 0.5% increments. You may change these to 16 and 37 for a much more airfoilish data-set. Your result would be airfoils of your selected distribution and mean line in thicknesses from 8% to 18%.

Code:
Sub SeriesDatCreation()

Dim ItNum As Integer
ItNum = [COLOR=#ff0000]2[/COLOR]
Application.ScreenUpdating = False

Do While ItNum < [COLOR=#ff0000]101[/COLOR]

ActiveSheet.Shapes("Spinner 135").Select
Selection.Value = ItNum

Application.Run "'[B]GA_Airfoil_Ver_3.7.xlsm[/B]'!DoTheExport"
ItNum = ItNum + 1
Loop
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
ActiveSheet.Range("g5").Select
End Sub

Synergy likes this.