Computer Aided Design Methods for Propeller Fillet Gages

Abstract

One of the most complicated forms encountered in engineering design is that of the marine propeller. The complexities arise from the complicated hydrodynamic surfaces of the propeller blades and the complicated manner in which the blades are oriented with and attached to the hub. Where propeller blades are attached to the hub, the blade shape is blended into the shape of the hub. The geometry of this region is particularly complicated. The shape of the blend is called a fillet, and the blending region is called the fillet region. Sheet metal gages conforming to various blade surface contours are used in the manufacture and inspection of propellers. Five different types of gages define the shape of the propeller in different regions. Fillet gages are such gages that define the shape of propeller blades in the fillet region. This paper describes a new computer-aided method for designing fillet gages. Previous methods of fillet gage design required the designer to follow a complicated layout procedure of determining where a particular unfilleted blade contour intersected the hub. The design of the fillet was then done in another layout procedure. Newly developed numerical procedures incorporated in a computer program have reduced the time required to design a complete set of gages (including fillet gages) from up to several weeks to hours.