Aircraft

Aircraft design

The design of a series aircraft is based on that of a predecessor: a prototype or another series aircraft. This article describes a scientific case study of how a design team can design a series aircraft more efficiently.

Sector: Private

Industry: Aerospace

Domain: Series aircraft

Aircraft design.

Improve aircraft design: Preparation

Describe

Organization. A team of designers is tasked to design an extended version of an aircraft. The team consists of senior designers and junior designers. When confronted with design issues, junior designers tend to slow down if no senior designers look over their shoulders or spar with them.

Environmental factors. Competition with other aircraft manufacturers.

Challenge. Less access to the capabilities of senior designers results in more time necessary to resolve a design issue.

Formulate

Goal. Increase performance.

Objective. Increase access to capabilities to design an extended version of an aircraft faster.

Benefits.

  • More adaptation.
  • Shorter time to market.

Estimate

Worthwhile.

Improve aircraft design: Execution

Visualize

Identify

  • Delivery / Administration / Management / Planning:
    • Design an extended version of an aircraft.
      • Retrieve the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Reuse the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Revise the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Retain the design rationale of an aircraft.

Analyze

Classify

  • As experience:
    • Design an extended version of an aircraft.
      • Retrieve the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Reuse the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Revise the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Retain the design rationale of an aircraft.

Compare

  • By contribution to organizational strategy:
    • Design an extended version of an aircraft.
      • Retrieve the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Reuse the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Revise the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Retain the design rationale of an aircraft.

Calculate

  • Multiple presence:
    • Design an extended version of an aircraft.
      • Retrieve the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Reuse the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Revise the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Retain the design rationale of an aircraft.

Realize

Anchor

  • System. Elicit and include as instructions in the standard operating procedure:
    • Design an extended version of an aircraft.
      • Retrieve the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Reuse the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Revise the design rationale of an aircraft.
      • Retain the design rationale of an aircraft.
  • Skills. Train junior designers in the standard operating procedure.

Background research

Frances Brazier, Pieter van Langen, and Jan Treur (1997). A compositional approach to modelling design rationale. AIEDAM 11, 125-139.