73194 - Design Methods in the Aerospace Industry

Learning outcomes

The student gains a clear understanding of the design process used in the aerospace industry to develop new products. In detail, the student knows the proper methodologies to carry out a synthetic approach to the design of new vehicles, focusing the attention on the conceptual and preliminary design methods and tools useful for the aeronautical products development.

Course contents

Module 1:

- Notes on the management of the design process in civil aeronautics. Impact on the design methodologies of EASA regulations (CS-VLA, CS-23 and CS-25 for fixed wing, CS-27 and CS-29 for rotary wing). Main concepts relating to the management of design and airworthiness in the aeronautical sector (DOA, POA, Part 145); main professional figures involved in the aircraft design process.

- Tools for synthesis (multidisciplinary optimization, trade-off studies) and analysis (CAD, CFD, FEM, numerical models) in the aerospace sector. Collaborative virtual environments for aerospace project management and concept of digital twin.

- Methods for the conceptual design of civil transport aircraft and general aviation aircraft; impact of architectures, geometry, propulsion system, aerodynamic and structural characteristics of aircraft on performance, flight quality, operating costs of aircraft.

- Methods for the conceptual design of seaplanes, LTAs (airships, balloons and hot air balloons), non-traditional configurations of civil aircraft, electric aircraft, helicopters, propellers.

- Exercises on conceptual aircraft designs, digital modeling of aircraft, development of flight models and performance validation.

Module 2:

- Aircraft Configuration layout: three view drawing, lofting rule, area and volume plots.

- Complex surface modelling: splines, Nurbs curves, lofting, sweep, surface network, advanced modelling issues (chamfer, blend, shelling).

- Complex surface modelling for aerospace: Nurbs modelling, introduction to 1D, 2D and 3D commands; introduction to macro writing.

- Digital model file exchange: Discrete 3D models and mesh, 3D models file format.

- Additive Manufacturing: technologies, materials, Fused Filament Fabrication, Design for Additive Manufacturing

Readings/Bibliography

Daniel Raymer, Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, Sixth Edition, ISBN (print): 978-1-62410-490-9, September 30, 2018.

James DeLaurier, Aircraft Design Concepts: An Introductory Course, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2022.

Leland M. Nicolai, Grant E. Carichner, Fundamentals of Aircraft and Airship Design, AIAA Education Series, 2010.

Snorri Gudmundsson, General Aviation Aircraft Design: Applied Methods and Procedures, Butterworth-Heinemann, September 3, 2013.

Teaching methods

The course includes lectures, and exercises in which students have the opportunity to apply the concepts learned. Digital tools to support conceptual design are also widely presented, such as CAD, CFD, FEM, models in Simulink and Matlab environments, Flight simulation, Geometric modeling in virtual reality to support the aerospace digital modelling.

Assessment methods

The final examination assesses whether students have achieved the following learning objectives:

• Knowledge of the aircraft design process.
• Ability to develop the conceptual design of an aircraft.
• Ability to create a preliminary aircraft model using CAD software.
• Ability to use digital tools to support the conceptual and preliminary design of an aircraft.
• Ability to work effectively in teams and exchange technical information with colleagues.

Students are divided into groups and assigned the development of an aircraft design project, to be carried out according to the methodologies introduced during the course. The project includes the preliminary sizing of an aircraft, its CAD modeling, the development of a mathematical model, and the assessment of its performance using tools developed in the MATLAB environment available to students, as well as a Virtual Reality flight simulator.

During the final examination, in addition to presenting their project, students are asked theoretical questions covering the course topics. Given the strongly application-oriented nature of the course, the project presentation and discussion account for 20 points, while the two theoretical questions account for the remaining 10 points (5 points per question).

Teaching tools

CAD software with integrated CFD and FEM module for conceptual design; Matlab and Simulink codes; Virtual Reality flight simulator, virtual environments.

The slides used in lessons are uploaded to the virtuale.unibo.it website and made available to students.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Ceruti

See the website of Antonio Bacciaglia