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Quality through closed-loop manufacturing Pratt & Whitney has employed automated part probing as part of its manufacturing process to provide final inspection, data collection and analysis, and process adjustment. A virtual fighter The Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. use SGI's Origin 2000 servers and Silicon Graphics Onyx2 visual supercomputers to design their respective Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) demonstrators virtually. Modular aerospace controls Honeywell investigates a commercial off-the-shelf approach to the automated generation of safety-critical software for distributed control systems. Automated fuselage mating Brotje-Automation GmbH has developed an automated alignment facility designed to accurately position and align major aircraft fuselage sections.

More-electric small turbofan engines The aerospace industry demands continuous improvement of propulsion engines as well as timely response to the new and changing requirements for them. Zero-emissions aircraft Researchers explore the potential application of alternative fuels and propulsion systems for aircraft that include a business jet and single-engine propeller aircraft. Integration releases the reins Cessna's new Citation Mustang launches the company into a new market for business jets, helped by the latest PLM solutions from IBM. Military: general A military flight-control system proposed for use in general aviation uses inverse control to decouple the flight controls and to modify the handling qualities of the aircraft, while employing articficial neural networks to compensate for any modeling errors.

Designing high-bypass nacelle inlets Simulation significantly reduces the time required of engineers at Goodrich to evaluate inlet performance and preliminary designs. Virtually eliminating prototypes IBM PLM Solutions developed by Dassault Systemes have enabled Dassault Aviation to meet the challenges of the executive business jet market with a new virtual platform. DOD looking for faster fixes The U.S. military is in the midst of a mighty push at its bases and depots to shorten the time it takes to get aircraft, trucks, tanks, and other weapon systems out the gate after they arrive for repair. A vision of military and civilian aviation tomorrow SAE 100 Future look: At Dessault Aviation, we believe the quest to fly "higher, faster, and further" that moved moved aviation's pioneers will continue to blaze new trails in the 21st century.

From concept in mind to product in hand Compatibility between tools for design and manufacturing engineers is improving, though it's still fraught with potential pitfalls. Cockpits on display Larger (and eventually bendable) flight displays use commercial technology for both new production and retrofit applications. Interior interests Makers of business aircraft take different approaches to designing interiors. Aerospace proves its metal Aluminum lithium, magnesium alloys, titanium metal matrix composites, and advanced coatings are all part of the future of flying.

Showing how it's done Engineers are using software to better manage product development data, and applying tools to a new class of problems. NASA goes deep The agency's new long-term space exploration program starts with a return to the moon and will ultimately enable future exploration of Mars and other solar system destinations. Farnborough preview In an event that happens just once every two years, bringing the multitudes together, it is important to get as much technology as possible into the open and to find solutions to hard problems. Seats under crash loading The FAA and academia have conducted aircraft seat drop tests to compare and contrast passenger crash protection. A fluid approach Aerospace engineers have started using CFD software earlier and earlier in the design process.

Full throttle for engine solutions Powering aircraft from Mach 2 fighters to tiny hovering UAVs, military engine technology is now operating on a very broad front. Design and production flexibility together with reduced in-service costs are priorities. To the breaking point Test engineers use new rigs and data-acquisition equipment on the latest generation of pneumatics, engines, and airframes. PCs move into the cockpit Pilot training is getting a bit less expensive with the introduction of more portable flight simulations.

Improving power quality Avionics power supplies are being redesigned to reduce harmonic distortion and work with wild frequencies. Think smart As aerospace manufacturers and suppliers continually look for new ways to improve passenger safety and comfort, an increasing emphasis is being placed on the role of advanced, 'smart' interiors. Getting it together The manufacture and assembly of today's aircraft must be in line with market needs and emerging technologies in a challenging business environment.

Robot reliance There is plenty of room for growth in the use of robots among aerospace companies. The energy-optimized aircraft Aerospace sings the body electric with the integration of stand-alone electric subsystems. Flying into cleaner skies Engine efficiency saves money, trims pollutants. A fascination with fasteners Lack of manufacturing capacity is just one reason for a shortage of aerospace fasteners.

The growth of an industry This second of a three-part series highlighting the centennial of flight focuses on how World War I and II changed the face of aviation technology. Portable test system Boeing uses VXI via KineticSystems to achieve greater dependability, accuracy, and efficiency in its digital distortion analyzer for propulsion systems. Fire-resistant composites for engine nacelles Engineers from Boeing treated fiberglass/polyimide and graphite/polyimide laminates with various phosphorylated polymers to obtain fire-resistant resins for use in harsh environments. Accelerating the design process The use of desktop analysis software can lead to a faster and more efficient process for the design and manufacture of aerospace components, according to SolidWorks.

Next-generation space transportation NASA narrows its search for a successor to the Space Shuttle. Air-traffic-control modernization "Aerospace Engineering" provides an update of the latest air-traffic management activities taking place in the U.S. and China. Aircraft undercarriage concept Engineers at SUS21 Co. Inc. and the Kyoto Institute of Technology have developed an aircraft suspension system that features shock isolation to reduce abrupt deceleration and impact force on aircraft wheels. Simulating Superplastic forming BAE Systems' engineers developed modeling tools and techniques to optimize superplastic forming of titanium structures.

Implementing CAD systems Several aerospace companies have employed new CAD systems to achieve cost savings as well as improved functionality. Nose gear shimmy damping Lord Corp. has adapted surface-effect technologies to the development of nonhydraulic nose gear shimmy dampers.

Toward greener skies Engine designers harness new technologies to embrace the eco-challenge. Going with the flow Advanced balances, pressure-sensitive paint, and wind-tunnel testing streamline aircraft aerodynamics. Orbital drilling goes mainstream for the Dreamliner Boeing and Novator worked together to overcome the obstacles of drilling holes into new material combinations being used in next-gen aircraft.

Management promotes sharing The extensive use of CAD tools in aerospace design brings many benefits, but also a number of challenges. Getting robots to multi-task The demand to fulfill continually increasing customer requirements forces suppliers to offer state-of-the-art system manufacturing solutions.

Making an impact in fastening Engineers at Electroimpact help the company get a leg up on the competition in automated fastening. Narrowing in on military requirements UAVs/UCAVs are increasingly important, with the accent on integration- and wider engine choice. Machining and turning centers take center stage Makers of CNC machining equipment are incorporating more and better functionality into their products so users cope better with processing challenges such as those posed by tough new grades of aerospace materials. Open (and often) communication As aircraft companies battle for market share, uniting design and manufacturing teams remains a key challenge.

Introducing Neil Schilke, SAE President for 2001 General Motors' former top engineer brings a systems engineering mentality, along with high expectations, to the SAE presidency. ISS beginning to shape up Since the addition of the Zvezda Service Module, assembly activities on the International Space Station have been ramped up to meet the program's completion goal of 2006. Maintaining the space station International Space Station partners will face many challenges once assembly is complete- one of which is the maintenance and upkeep of this new satellite. E-commerce taking off Still in its infancy, e-commerce is expected to have a major impact on aviation companies from all segments of the supply chain.

Introducing S.M. Shahed, SAE President for 2002 From humble beginnings, S.M. Shahed carves out a seat at the society's top spot. Aerospace online Rapidly developing Internet-based technologies are profoundly changing the engineering/design process, revolutionizing the way OEMs and suppliers do business, and speeding industry's time-to-market. Mobilizing Canadarm2 Components set for delivery and assemblyon the International Space Station this year will provide mobility to the Space Station Remote Manipulator System or Canadarm2, enabling further construction of the station to continue. Collaborating via the Web The next stage of product development and engineering support software looks to enhance engineers' ability to collaborate with each other via the Internet.

New Engineering Software Solutions Several software products will begin the new millennium with a few new enhancements along with others that continue to provide good functionality and capability to engineers. Building a space station In the wake of recent delays in the launch of the Russian Service Module, the International Space Station partners diligently continue with assembly plans for this massive satellite. As the station is prepared for its first crew, "Aerospace Engineering" looks ahead to the remaining assembly tasks planned for this year. Introducing Dr. Rodica A. Baranescu, SAE President for the year 2000 Had her father gotten his way, Rodica Baranescu would now have a successful physician's practice and enough spare time to entertain audiences with her musical talents. Imagine his reaction when a young Rodica declared that what she was more interested in doing when she grew up was ballooning over Africa.

Relational analysis, defined as quantitative analysis of the relationships of high- and low-temperature properties in relation to their room-temperature values, provides a useful technique for estimating the properties of similar metals and alloys for which limited or no data are available. This book demonstrates how to use relational analysis methodology to extrapolate and estimate properties of metallic alloys at high temperatures from lower temperature data, and for estimating the properties of alloys for which scant property data exists. Data tables and graphs are presented for a wide range of aluminum alloys. Also shown, is how to apply relational analysis to other alloy systems including steels, magnesium alloys, and titanium alloys.

This book provides a fascinating glimpse into a vital material that we may take for granted today. Stainless steel, called “the miracle metal” and “the crowning achievement of metallurgy” by the prominent metallurgist Carl Zapffe, is a material marvel with an equally fascinating history of people, places, and technology. As stainless steel nears the 100th anniversary of its discovery, this book is a fitting perspective on a vital material of our modern life, and it is the first book that captures the unfolding excitement and innovations of stainless steel pioneers and entrepreneurs. Amply illustrated with photographs, the book also includes a timeline that lists more than 450 important facts and events related to stainless steels technology and applications.

This book presents a theoretical treatment, as well as a summary of practical methods of computation, of the forces and moments that act on marine craft. Its aim is to provide the tools necessary for the prediction or simulation of craft motions in calm water and in waves. In addition to developing the required equations, the author gives relations that permit at least approximate evaluation of the coefficients so that useful results can be obtained. The approach begins with the equations of motion for rigid bodies, relative to fixed- and moving-coordinate systems; then, the hydrodynamic forces are examined, starting with hydrostatics and progressing to the forces on a moving vehicle in calm water and (after a review of water-wave theory) in waves. Several detailed examples are presented, including calculations of hydrostatics, horizontal- and vertical-plane directional stability, and wave-induced motions.