Aircraft Engine Pylon Self-Stiffened Side Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional aircraft engine pylons are heavy due to numerous metallic components, which increase the weight of the aircraft and complicate manufacturing and assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates self-stiffened side panels with a network of stiffeners in multiple directions, reduced reinforcement components, and integrated housings for main reinforcements, allowing for a lighter and more rigid structure with fewer components, thereby simplifying the assembly and reducing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If numerous metallic components are used in the pylon structure, then the mechanical strength and stress transmission capability are improved, but the total weight of the aircraft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple discrete metallic components into a single composite side panel structure. The side panel combines stiffeners, reinforcement zones, and housing features that were previously separate components, thereby maintaining structural strength while reducing the number of parts and overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The side panel is designed as a composite structure integrating multiple functional elements (stiffeners, reinforcement zones, housings) into a unified component. This composite approach allows optimization of material distribution to maintain strength while reducing weight compared to traditional assemblies of separate metallic parts.
2Stability of the object's composition
If numerous discrete components are used in the pylon, then the structural rigidity is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple discrete components including stiffeners, reinforcement elements, and housing features into an integrated side panel structure. This merging maintains the structural rigidity provided by the stiffener network while significantly reducing the number of separate components that require manufacturing and assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Within the integrated side panel, the structure is segmented into distinct functional zones (reinforcement zones with stiffener networks, housing zones for attachments, longitudinal rib structures) that provide rigidity where needed while allowing for modular manufacturing and assembly processes.
3Force
If traditional metallic components are used, then the stress transmission from engine to airfoil is ensured, but the manufacturing and assembly costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple stress-transmission functions into the integrated side panel structure. The stiffeners, reinforcement zones, and housing features work together as a unified load-path structure, ensuring stress transmission from engine to airfoil while reducing manufacturing and assembly costs through fewer parts and simplified production.
Solution Approach 2:
The side panel is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides structural rigidity, stress transmission, attachment housing, and reinforcement functions. This universality eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining force transmission capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft engine pylon includes two side panels and an upper stringer and a lower stringer assembled to form a strut assembly extending in a longitudinal direction (AX) corresponding to the direction in which the aircraft is moving and an internal reinforcement structure including a plurality of reinforcements. The pylon also includes a reinforcement zone on each side panel and a front housing to receive a main front center reinforcement and a rear housing to receive a main rear center reinforcement.