Value-driven rotorcraft design through integrated product/process development and robust design simulation

Abstract

In his 1999 AHS Nikolsky Lecture: Technology for Rotorcraft Affordability through Integrated Product/Process Development (IPPD)[1] the author described the cultural change taking place in industry and government due to the Quality Revolutionwhich identified the need for concurrent engineering education and training[2],as well as new systems approach methodologies that captured the essence of IPPD and Product/Process Simulation. Something like a modern approach to the systems engineering methodology that was developed in the late 1950's and early 1960's for designing and building large scale complex systems, such as ballistic missiles and manned space flight systems, was needed. A generic IPPD methodology was developed by the primary author and his colleagues and taught to industry and government through short courses and professional education. This generic IPPD methodology also became the foundation for the development of the Georgia Tech graduate program in Aerospace Systems Design education and research and led to a large, unique laboratory, the Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory (ASDL), established in 1992, which is now believed to be the largest graduate university complex system design laboratory in the world. With research grants from government and industry the generic IPPD methodology was expanded to include Robust Design Simulation (RDS), Fast Probability Integration (FPI) and Technology Identification Evaluation & Selection (TIES).[1] A summary of this evolution to RDS and some of the PhD research that led to this evolution has been documented in Value-Driven Design (VDD)[3]. VDD has been at the heart of the IPPD through RDS methodology. This paper will describe how VDD has been applied for numerous rotorcraft designs through the AHS and rotorcraft industry student design competitions. It will also describe planned research efforts to expand VDD to Value Based Acquisition (VBA) to help make Future Vertical Lift (FVL) more capable, available, dependable and affordable.