Altair Case Studies SOGECLAIR Aerospace's Innovative Approach to Optimize Aircraft Components Using HyperWorks

	SOGECLAIR Aerospace's Innovative Approach to Optimize Aircraft Components Using HyperWorks Altair

SOGECLAIR Aerospace's Innovative Approach to Optimize Aircraft Components Using HyperWorks

Altair

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
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. Read More
About 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. Read More
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. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

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

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.

About 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.

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.

Impact #1	The use of HyperWorks offered SOGECLAIR aerospace an innovative, streamlined development environment with more design freedom, faster development cycles, and lower costs. The software enabled the engineers to maximize weight-saving of parts while taking into account both the part’s requirements and the constraints of the proposed manufacturing process. Topology optimization with OptiStruct made exploration of innovative concepts possible at the earliest stages of design, saving time and leading to improved performance. Except for geometric reconstruction done in a CAD tool, the HyperWorks suite covered the entire optimization process within one simulation environment, boosting engineers’ efficiency and expertise.

Impact #1

The use of HyperWorks offered SOGECLAIR aerospace an innovative, streamlined development environment with more design freedom, faster development cycles, and lower costs. The software enabled the engineers to maximize weight-saving of parts while taking into account both the part’s requirements and the constraints of the proposed manufacturing process. Topology optimization with OptiStruct made exploration of innovative concepts possible at the earliest stages of design, saving time and leading to improved performance. Except for geometric reconstruction done in a CAD tool, the HyperWorks suite covered the entire optimization process within one simulation environment, boosting engineers’ efficiency and expertise.

Benefit #1	20% reduction in weight
Benefit #2	97% reduction in the number of components
Benefit #3	Significant time and cost savings due to reduced assembly time

Benefit #1

20% reduction in weight

Benefit #2

97% reduction in the number of components

Benefit #3

Significant time and cost savings due to reduced assembly time

Download PDF Version

Overview

SOGECLAIR Aerospace's Innovative Approach to Optimize Aircraft Components Using HyperWorks

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit