Innovative 3D printed soft actuators for morphing wing trailing edges: Design, deformation, and aerodynamic evaluation

Soft actuators can convert pneumatic pressure into smooth deformation of flexible surfaces, demonstrating potential for application in morphing wing design. This study proposes a soft actuator driven morphing wing trailing edge structure and employs 3D printing to construct and validate numerical models of both the actuator and the trailing edge. Parametric analyses of cavity number and structural dimensions are conducted to improve deformation performance. The aerodynamic performance of the airfoil before and after trailing edge deformation is evaluated. The results indicate that the number of cavities significantly affects the maximum displacement and the specific maximum displacement (deformation per unit mass). In addition, structural dimensions such as top height, wall thickness, bottom plate thickness, and spacing play a key role in enhancing deformation performance. The analysis indicates that specific maximum displacement directly correlates with the deformation of the wing trailing edge. The deformed airfoil exhibits a significant improvement in aerodynamic performance, with increased lift and favorable lift-to-drag ratios at low and moderate angles of attack. Moreover, aerodynamic loads exert only a minor influence on the deformation under the current design conditions. The study provides a reference for the design of future morphing wing trailing edge structures.