SBIR-STTR Award

A computational system is required that contains validated/certified tools and models that can be readily employed by non-FEM experts. Designers would be able to input parameters, such as panel bay spacing, boundary conditions, skin material and thickness, skin stiffness, flushness requirement, and scarf angles, while the system would automatically construct a valid finite element representation of the repair area. The system must also be capable of taking loads from larger global models and accurately applying these loads to the system-generated model. The system must be able to generate models for wing skins, fuselage skins, control surfaces, and doors. The system should also serve as a repository for completed repair projects that can be documented, referenced and shared. Finally, the system should provide the means to study, monitor, and manage the repair design process.

Benefit:
The computational system that forms the infrastructure of the Rapid Repair Analysis Tool will be scaleable and provide a framework that is easily extensible to support a variety of standard repair configurations and other classes of problems (e.g., mechanical systems, hydraulic systems, etc.). This system offers tremendous benefits to companies that seek to standardize and retain corporate design knowledge but do not have the resources to develop such tools internally. We see a definite market for this tool in both military and commercial aerospace sectors (e.g., Piper, Gulfstream, Hawker, Raytheon, etc.).

Keywords:
knowledge base computational system, knowledge base computational system, Composites, Structural repairs for advanced composite aircraft components, parametric modeling, validated processes, StressCheck, Computational System, heirarchic modeling, Analysis of Composites, Rapid repair analysis tool, Bonded and fastened repair, F-35/Joint Strike Fighter, global-local analysis, Automated procedures for non-FEA experts using validated/certified tools and models, Repository for completed projects, Joint Strike Fighter

A computational system is required that accelerates the process of dispositioning damage to aircraft in the fleet and serves as a repository for completed repair projects that can be documented, referenced and shared. This system, which we refer to as the Rapid Repair Analysis Tool (RaRAT), will contain validated/certified analysis methods, both closed-form and FEA-based, that can be readily employed to design a repair for a given location on the aircraft and type of damage. The complexities of aircraft structure and uniqueness of damage creates a formidable challenge to develop a comprehensive tool that standardizes the repair design process. However, rapid advances in computer aided engineering (CAE) technology in the last decade make it possible to achieve substantial improvements in reliability and efficiency. For standardized stress analysis procedures, closed-form solutions can be replaced by FEA-based solutions providing a more accurate solution of the real problem. The benefits of this transition are; reduced reliance on physical testing, increased productivity, avoidance of unnecessary replication of analysis, and preservation of best practices.

Benefit:
The resulting Rapid Repair Analysis Tool developed from this research will return significant cost savings to the Warfighter by automating portions of the repair process and incorporating higher fidelity, state-of-the-art analytical processes to disposition and design repairs to damaged aircraft. This tool will capture important data for each repair in a knowledge base for reuse by maintenance support personnel throughout the fleet, thereby avoiding costly duplication of effort. This system can be used for purposes other than repair processes, and in fact lends itself well to deploying standard design processes for military/commercial aerospace OEM's. Preliminary market research shows a demand for such a tool by small/medium sized civil aviation company's.

Keywords:
heirarchic modeling, global-local analysis, Bonded and fastened repair, validated processes, Composites, Joint Strike Fighter, knowledge base computational system, parametric modeling