Additive manufactured wing structure having a plurality of chordwise wing segments

A method of making an airfoil structure, the airfoil structure comprising at least one airfoil segment and defining a cross-sectional airfoil shape extending chord-wise, the method comprising:

• forming at least three distinct and separately-formed components;
• mating together the at least three distinct and separately-formed components such that they are aligned along a chordwise direction of the cross-sectional airfoil shape, wherein:
• the chordwise direction extends from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the cross-sectional airfoil shape,
• the leading edge is at an extremity of the cross-sectional airfoil shape and defines a portion of the cross-sectional airfoil shape,
• the trailing edge is at an opposite extremity of the cross-sectional airfoil shape than the leading edge and defines a portion of the cross-sectional airfoil shape,
• the at least three distinct and separately-formed components combine to extend in the chordwise direction completely from the leading edge to the trailing edge,
• each of the at least three distinct and separately-formed components includes receiving apertures defined therein at one or more spanwise locations along a spanwise direction, the receiving apertures at each of the one or more spanwise locations aligned with each other in the chordwise direction,
• the at least three distinct and separately-formed components are arranged sequentially along the chordwise direction at a first spanwise location of the one or more spanwise locations, and
• the at least three distinct and separately-formed components comprise:
• a first component that defines the leading edge of the cross-sectional airfoil shape, the leading edge being defined at at least the first spanwise location of the one or more spanwise locations;
• a second component;
• and
• a third component that defines a trailing edge of the cross-sectional airfoil shape, the trailing edge being defined at at least the first spanwise location of the one or more spanwise locations, wherein at least a portion of the second component is positioned between the first component and the third component along the chordwise direction at the fist spanwise location;
• and
• inserting a plurality of chordwise reinforcement elements through the aligned receiving apertures such that at least one of the plurality of chordwise reinforcement elements extends from the first component, through the second component, and to the third component.

An airfoil structure for an aircraft, the airfoil structure comprising at least one airfoil segment and defining a cross-sectional airfoil shape, the airfoil structure comprising:

• at least three components mated together and aligned along a chordwise direction of the cross-sectional airfoil shape, wherein:
• the chordwise direction extends from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the cross-sectional airfoil shape,
• the leading edge is at an extremity of the cross-sectional airfoil shape and defines a portion of the cross-sectional airfoil shape,
• the trailing edge is at an opposite extremity of the cross-sectional airfoil shape than the leading edge and defines a second portion of the cross-sectional airfoil shape,
• the at least three components combine to extend in the chordwise direction completely from the leading edge to the trailing edge,
• each of the at least three components includes receiving apertures defined therein at one or more spanwise locations along a spanwise direction, the receiving apertures at each of the one or more spanwise locations aligned with each other in the chordwise direction, and
• the at least three components comprise:
• a front additively manufactured component that defines the leading edge of the cross-sectional airfoil shape;
• a rear additively manufactured component that defines the trailing edge of the cross-sectional airfoil shape;
• and
• a central additively manufactured component configured to couple the front and rear components, and define a central portion of the cross-sectional airfoil shape;
• and
• a plurality of chordwise reinforcement elements extending through the aligned receiving apertures, wherein each of the plurality of chordwise reinforcement elements extends through the central additively manufactured component and into the front additively manufactured component and the rear additively manufactured component via the aligned receiving apertures.