Electronic mock-up

The oil, air, fuel and control systems for a modem aero engine are complex and involve many accessory units. The majority of these units and their connections are on the outside of the engine and arranged to recognise safety and maintenance requirements. The design tool for positioning the accessories, pipework and electrical harnesses has previously been a series of mock-ups. On these physical representations of the engine, master pipes and harnesses are created, from which are produced manufacturing jigs. The developments of CADDS systems have enabled revision of the total design process, yielding significant improvements in product lead time, quality and reducing development costs. A number of lessons have been learnt and there is the potential for future improvements.