A knowledge-based engineering tool to estimate cost and weight of composite aerospace structures at the conceptual stage of the design process

Purpose - This paper seeks to address issues related to the development of a knowledge-based engineering system for estimating manufacturing cost and weight of a composite structure at the conceptual stage of a design. Design/methodology/approach - The system has been developed in the CATIA V5 knowledge environment and is applied to structures made of composite materials. At the conceptual stage of the design process, a structure is often represented by simple surfaces. The system adds the details necessary to accurately estimate weight and manufacturing cost using geometry and process-based techniques. Knowledge captured from an expert was used to construct the knowledge base in the system. Findings - It has been found that the system can provide continuous tracking of the weight and cost as the design evolves. Structural FEA and optimisation using MSC.NASTRAN have been integrated into the design process to enables the designer to conduct "what-if" analyses to explore different design options involving geometry parameters such as the internal configuration of the structure. Originality/value - The paper demonstrates that tools embedded in CAD systems can be expected to be able to facilitate the task of estimation of weight and manufacturing cost at the conceptual stage of the design process.