Finite Element Model Analysis Automation for Structural Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current structural analysis systems for vehicles, such as aircraft, are inefficient due to the tedious and time-consuming process of manually associating numerical identifiers in finite element models with structural components, leading to high processing and memory usage, and a high risk of human error during iterative design changes.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that automatically identifies and groups elements in a finite element model using geometric information, associating them with structural components, reducing the need for manual intervention and minimizing processing and memory consumption by using a model analysis control unit with processors to analyze and display the model.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual association of numerical identifiers with structural components is used, then flexibility in analysis is maintained, but processing time and memory usage increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalysis speedVSAvoidtime for manual association

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs the association task without human intervention. The computer vision system processes images, identifies structural components, and links them to numerical identifiers autonomously, eliminating the need for manual association by analysis engineers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of reviewing and associating numerical identifiers with an automated optical recognition system. The system uses cameras and image processing algorithms to automatically identify and associate components, substituting human cognitive work with automated vision-based computation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If manual review of numerical identifiers is performed, then accuracy can be controlled by expert judgment, but the process is tedious and prone to human error

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of associationVSAvoidease of manual association

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-verification through automated recognition. The computer vision system independently identifies structural components and their corresponding numerical identifiers without requiring human verification, thereby maintaining high reliability while eliminating manual effort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates verification mechanisms where the automated association results can be reviewed and corrected if necessary, providing feedback loops that maintain accuracy while reducing manual intervention. The system allows for correction of identification errors while maintaining overall automated operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If detailed finite element models with numerous elements are used, then analysis precision is improved, but processing load and memory consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveloads analysis precisionVSAvoidprocessing energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and processes only the essential information from the finite element model. Instead of processing all numerical identifiers and element details manually, the system extracts key structural component information through image recognition, reducing the processing burden while maintaining analysis precision for critical components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different levels of processing to different parts of the model. Critical structural components identified through image recognition receive detailed analysis, while less critical areas are processed at lower detail levels, optimizing the balance between precision and processing energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Adaptability or versatility

If iterative design changes are performed manually, then design flexibility is maintained, but time consumption and error risk increase with each iteration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign iteration flexibilityVSAvoidtime for re-association

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically re-associates numerical identifiers with structural components for each design iteration without manual intervention. When design changes occur, the computer vision system automatically processes updated models, maintaining design flexibility while eliminating the time-consuming manual re-association required in each iteration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250094671A1Adaptable structural analysis systems and methods

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A structural analysis system and method for efficiently analyzing a finite element model (for example, loads and model data) that represents a structure include identifying, by a model analysis control unit, elements of the finite element model, automatically grouping, by the model analysis control unit, the elements into sets, and associating, by the model analysis control unit, the sets with components of the structure.