1. Title of the invention

A Process Architecture for Increased Parameterization in the Solid Modeling and Design of Aircraft Wing and Empennage structural assemblies and parts.

2. Field of invention

Design processes and approaches used to model 3-D geometry of Wing/ Empennage components.

3. Use of invention

It is a new standardized approach adopted in the software-processes used in modeling parts and assemblies of various mechanical components of Wing/ Empennage.

4. Prior art

With increased use of software in the mechanical design of components, various methods have been adopted in the industry over the years to shorten the product life-cycle, by incorporating features that enable assimilating changes quickly. The changes are imminent in any project given that it is almost impossible to get the Design, which is essentially iterative in nature, dead-right in the start of the project itself.

In Aircraft Industry, usually the part geometries are very complex and a wide array of CAD features are used to model the same. The complexity of a company hierarchy and organizational structures also get reflected in the design practices and data management. The pre-existing approaches today adopt a variety of tools to data-reuse and fast prototyping in projects. The term "parametric modeling", for example, refers to feature-based modeling where features such as booleans, extrude, trim, revolve etc are all driven by parameters in-built in the latest CAD platforms. Again, latest PLM tools are used to maintain files and data as customized according to the organization's structural needs.

5. Draw backs of prior art

The data-structure does not fully support a satisfactory parameterization of mechanical assemblies, as it focuses on role-assignment of users, and the work-flow. In modeling of 3-D structures, numerous features are usually used, which makes parameterization impossible. This is because each feature uses some parameters the values of which are design decisions; in this way the decisions get scattered over all the features in the part-modeling history. This makes the identification of parameters, let alone using them, impossible. As a working solution, standardized methods to model a particular family of geometries, say spars for example, are formulated. Even then full parameterization is not achieved. This is because the features are too distributed to lend robust identification; prescribed methods, on the other hand, are not liked by designers who need the flexibility to design new solutions or model novel geometries.

6. Comparison between prior art and present invention

This invention formulates a standardized modeling practice which supports parameterization at both Top-level and Detail-level of Design and is yet flexible enough to cater to all diverse, present and future, geometries used in Wing & Empennage assemblies of Aircrafts.

7. Aim of the invention

Aim of the invention is to shorten the product Life-cycle activities, reducing man-hours, and also to make the modeling practices more standardized and oriented towards Design-thought (through conscious use of design parameters) through successful parameterization of the process, and also thereby eliminating the draw backs of the present practices.

Claims

We claim that

1. This Process architecture for modeling activities has been configured and designed by HAL.

2. This Process architecture supports increased parameterization of Complex Components and assemblies.

3. Also the Process architecture facilitates rapid prototyping and quick change incorporation.