SOGECLAIR Aerospace's Innovative Approach to Optimize Aircraft Components Using HyperWorks
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
Applicable Industries
- Aerospace
- Buildings
Applicable Functions
- Procurement
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Additive Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Process Simulation
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
SOGECLAIR aerospace, part of the SOGECLAIR S.A. group, is a major engineering partner and prime contractor for the aerospace industry. With offices in France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Tunisia, and Canada, and a team of nearly 1,250 staff, SOGECLAIR aerospace is attentive to its customers and their technological and strategic expectations. They provide consultancy and management services in configuration management, aero structures, systems installation, aircraft interiors, manufacturing engineering, and equipment. Their activities extend from the research & development phase up to the supply of the products. SOGECLAIR aerospace has chosen to put innovation at the heart of their corporate culture. Their Innovation Centre, active since 2009, encourages and facilitates innovation and development into new engineering approaches and solutions.
The Challenge
The aerospace industry is constantly seeking ways to reduce aircraft weight for improved performance and reduced fuel costs. SOGECLAIR aerospace, a major supplier for the aerospace industry, was faced with the challenge of finding a new development and manufacturing approach to reduce weight while ensuring safety. They were particularly interested in exploring a new concept for an engine pylon, a critical component that holds an aircraft engine to the wing or fuselage. The challenge was to create a design that would not only reduce weight but also maintain the part’s stiffness and reduce the overall number of system parts, leading to reduced assembly time.
The Solution
SOGECLAIR aerospace employed a CAE-driven design process that combined topology optimization using OptiStruct, part of Altair Engineering’s HyperWorks software suite, and Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM), also known as 3D printing. The first step in the development process of the new engine pylon was a feasibility study of the objectives to determine if an efficient solution was possible. OptiStruct was used to run an optimization based on the available design space, the applied loads, and other boundary conditions. Optimization constraints were complemented by the manufacturing constraints associated with additive manufacturing. The resulting design was then refined within a CAD tool and the final design was again numerically verified with OptiStruct. This innovative approach allowed the engineers to reach a structurally yet lighter design a lot faster than with a traditional design process.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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