Printed Models for Wind-Tunnel and Flow-Visualisation Testing: Surface Fidelity, Inserts, Pressure Taps and Load Limits

A wind-tunnel model is a measurement instrument: surface shape, roughness, stiffness, pressure-tap geometry and mounting all influence the flow field being measured. Additive manufacturing can integrate complex internal channels and shorten model fabrication, but layer texture, finishing, leakage and structural deflection can bias the experiment. This review develops a qualification architecture for printed wind-tunnel and flow-visualisation models, including photopolymer SLA where its resolution and surface finish are useful. Geometric verification is linked to aerodynamic reference dimensions; surface roughness is treated relative to boundary-layer sensitivity; pressure taps are tested for leakage and dynamic response; and model deflection is bounded under expected aerodynamic and mounting loads. Published AM wind-tunnel studies show that finishing and integrated pressure channels can be viable while requiring deliberate verification. The central conclusion is that fidelity is established by comparison of the realised model and instrumentation with the test objective, not by printer resolution or visual smoothness alone.

ER-286 · Version 0.3.