Aircraft Component Geometry Rules for Load-Optimized Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current design processes for structural components, particularly in aircraft manufacturing, are limited in generating optimized component designs that effectively distribute loads under various external conditions.

Innovation Solution

A component design system that utilizes a database of rules representing different load characteristics of various component geometries, combined with an input module for user-specific load characteristics and a processing unit to determine multiple geometrically different aircraft component designs, allowing for optimized load distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single component design is optimized iteratively, then the design process is simple and straightforward, but the ability to achieve optimal load distribution for specific load cases is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to specific load casesVSAvoidcomplexity of design system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The design system is segmented into distinct functional modules: a database storing geometry-load characteristic rules, an input module for user-specific load characteristics, and a processing unit for determining design options. This segmentation allows the system to handle complex adaptability requirements through modular organization, where each module performs a specific function while contributing to the overall ability to generate load-optimized component designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A database serving as an intermediary stores rules representing load characteristics of different component geometries. This intermediary database acts as a knowledge repository that bridges the input module (receiving user-specific load characteristics) and the processing unit (generating design options), enabling the system to provide adaptability to specific load cases while maintaining manageable system complexity through centralized knowledge storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multiple geometrically different design options are generated, then the ability to achieve optimal load distribution is improved, but the complexity of the design system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload distribution optimizationVSAvoidcomplexity of design system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system generates multiple design options by segmenting the design space into distinct geometric variants, each evaluated against user-specific load characteristics. The processing unit determines a plurality of geometrically different aircraft component designs by applying database rules to the input load characteristics, allowing reliable load distribution optimization through systematic exploration of multiple design possibilities rather than relying on a single iterative optimization path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs parameter changes by varying geometric parameters to generate multiple design options. The processing unit determines different component designs by applying rules that modify geometric parameters based on user-specific load characteristics, enabling reliable load distribution optimization through systematic parameter variation while maintaining controlled system complexity through rule-based generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If user-specific load characteristics are input, then the design can be tailored to specific applications, but the time and effort required for the design process increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetailoring to specific load casesVSAvoiddesign process time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The database stores rules representing load characteristics of different component geometries in advance, performing preliminary action by pre-organizing knowledge about geometry-load relationships. When user-specific load characteristics are input, the processing unit can quickly determine design options by applying these pre-stored rules, enabling tailoring to specific load cases while reducing design process time through advance preparation of design knowledge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses copying by retrieving and applying pre-stored rules from the database that represent load characteristics of different component geometries. Instead of performing complete redesigns for each user-specific load case, the processing unit copies and adapts existing design rules based on input characteristics, enabling efficient tailoring to specific applications while minimizing the time and effort required for each design process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3304359B1Component design system for generating aircraft component designs
Publication Date: 2025.01.29 AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
  • EP3304359B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3304359B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3304359B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

The invention relates to a component design system (1) for generating aircraft component designs. The component design system (1) comprises a data base (10) comprising a set of rules (11) representative for different load characteristics of different component geometries. The component design system (1) further comprises an input module (20) for inputting user-specific load characteristics (21) relating to an aircraft component (41) to be generated and a processing unit (30) for determining a variety of geometrically different aircraft component designs (31) based on the input user-specific load characteristics (21) and the set of rules (11). The invention also relates to an aircraft assembly system comprising a component design system (1), a method for generating aircraft component designs, a program element and a computer-readable medium.