Meeting the global aerospace demand for speed and quality

GKN Westland's Global Express project will culminate in the production of an executive jet with the performance of a fighter and the luxury of a Rolls-Royce. By utilising a single electronic product definition (EPD) methodology, all of the contractors' engineers and project teams were able to work together and radically reduce timescales and costs. Desktop Engineering undertook the software installation and support, including providing specialist aerospace engineers to give 'on-the-job' training. The project was completed on time and within budget - despite the learning curve associated with new software.

In the world of aerospace, supplier relationships are assuming an ever growing importance as aircraft manufacturers seek to respond to intensifying market demands. Under pressure to reduce development times and minimise costs without compromising quality, manufacturers are forging close ties with selected contractors to build an extended enterprise. The aim is for engineering specialists to work in close synchronisation on a project, using a single electronic product definition (EPD). Only the best in Computer Aided Engineering systems and suppliers can provide the technology base needed to underpin this new way of working.

A recent project involving Belfast-based Shorts Brothers Plc and GKN Westland Design Services (GWDS) demonstrated how this new way of working benefited aerospace manufacturers, and highlighted the role that technology and specialist aerospace CAE supplier, Desktop Engineering has had in formulating these benefits.

The Global Express is a high performance executive jet for WIP. As fast as a jet fighter, with a cruising altitude of Concorde but the luxury of a Rolls Royce car, the Global Express project came with a particularly demanding brief, not least the tight development time scales that all involved in the project had to work to. Different aspects of the project were divided among contractors world-wide. This included Shorts with whom GWDS were to collaborate while GWDS were contracted to undertake the development of the door.

Once the £2.0M contract was awarded, GWDS immediately had to implement the technology needed for the project to be undertaken seamlessly with Shorts, and deliver the project requirements to the agreed standard and timescale.

Shorts’ use a CAD/CAM system for product modelling and Optegra for product data management, within the Global Express project, gave good compatibility reasons for GWDS to follow suit. However, there were also sound technical reasons for such a decision. A high level of integration covering, design, analysis, manufacturing and data management were required, and Computervision’s EPD solutions are the leaders in this field. Finally, the system also had to be connected to the central database at Shorts via ISDN communications links.

Desktop Engineering, the leading Computervision reseller with extensive aerospace expertise, were chosen to undertake the installation, supplying the software running on Silicon graphics Indy and Indigo 2 Workstations.

Technology Transfer

Says GWDS technical director, Andrew Greener, "While we knew the systems would give us the technology base required to undertake the project, a main issue was implementing this in such a way that we could meet urgent deadlines for the first stage deliverables without compromising quality and project integrity. This is where Desktop Engineering added real value."

Desktop Engineering’s Paul Stoner comments "GWDS presented an unusual challenge. While they had an excellent base of engineers, good working processes, and understanding of advanced technology there was virtually no time in which to bring technology transfer programme was the only way to meet the requirements."

Having already gained a good understanding of GWDS and the project in hand, Desktop Engineering supplied up to five on-site link engineers with specialities in key areas, such as modelling, sheet metal and data management, to assist the users in optimising their user of the system. Each specialist was provided at the appropriate stage of the project and in essence ensures that the optimum use of the system was made. The system’s implementation therefore became part of the project, and enabled GWDS to meet the demands placed upon them. The first Cad solid models were delivered within two weeks as the programme dictated.

Total visibility between GWDS and Shorts was achieved using computervision’s Optegra data management packages that integrate with the CAD/CAM system. The latest design information from GWDS could then be registered in Shorts’ database, and Shorts were able to notify relevant fuselages changes as they occurred.

Simultaneous engineering

Although the CAE tools used were important to the project success, so too were working practices. With very compressed timescales, simultaneous engineering processes – where those involved in the project work as a team – were also necessary. GWDS’ methods of working were already well geared towards simultaneous engineering, and had already been successfully used in previous aerospace projects. GWDS’ project team ensured every step of the process, from concept design through to manufacturing, was started as early as possible. This was based on discussion and therefore common understanding of project direction. The CAE tools supported this by ensuring the latest information was readily accessible to all those who required it. Development times were therefore compressed in line with the project requirements.

Commenting on the overall success, Andrew greener says, "on a project such as this, there needs to be a seamless link between our operation and our customer’s operation. Effectively, we need to become an extension of our client’s engineering facility, even to the extent of taking on many of their working practices. The systems provided by Desktop Engineering allowed us to fully integrate our CAE operation with Shorts, to the extent that you can almost forget that you’re not in the same part of the country as your client colleagues."

Equally, Andrew added, "With timescales critical to the success, with deliverable designs required almost immediately, Desktop Engineering’s support via the Technology Transfer Programme was invaluable. Having their aerospace engineers on hand meant the design programme was kept on track, and via the on-the-job training, no time was lost."

Using advanced processes

A fundamental aspect of being able to meet the project requirement was the use of the complete capabilities of CAE tools. A single assembly model of the door was created using hybrid modelling techniques, including parametric solid models. This assembly model made use of existing framework schemes while individual component model data was used in manufacturing and analysis processes.

The advantage of working with hybrid models has already been well proven by leading aerospace manufacturers. Not only is initial development faster, it dramatically reduces the number of changes required. Because the engineers are designing within a single model of their part of the aircraft it is easier to get the design right first time and rationalise part counts. Activities such as analysis and manufacturing also benefit as model data can be directly used. These activities can start as soon as initial development is complete.

Succeeding in the project

The demanding brief for this project put considerable pressure on both GWDS and Desktop Engineering. This pressure was met successfully. The door project was completed within the project deadline of 10 months whereas a more traditional approach could easily have taken more than a year. Product quality was exemplary and the project costs were well met. Only three production queries were encountered in an assembly comprising of 120 parts and the door prototype was delivered and fitted directly into the fuselage without significant difficulty.