Towards a Unified Framework using CPACS for Geometry Management in Aircraft Design

Abstract

The performance requirements for the next generations of airliners are stringent and
\nrequire invention and design of unconventional configurations departing from the classical
\nCayley functional decomposition. The break with tradition calls for higher fidelity physics-
\nbased predictions of performance early on in the project. The paper makes the case for a
\nunified, open, data-centric software environment for aircraft design and describes the merge
\nof the CEASIOM conceptual design software package, developed by a number of partners
\nincluding KTH, with the CPACS formalized data management system developed at DLR.
\nThe system provides multi-fidelity and multi-disciplinary analysis capabilities for concur-
\nrent design by geographically distributed expert teams. The data-centric architecture uses
\nthe CPACS schema and access mechanisms for management of design data across all dis-
\nciplines and fidelity levels. This makes the system extensible and mitigates the problems
\nencountered in handing over the model to later design phases. The concepts have been
\ntested by interfacing external modules to CEASIOM/CPACS through a graphical CPACS
\nXML editor, the ACbuilder gateway. Results of comparative analyses on models imported
\nin this way from the RDS and VAMPzero conceptual design packages are reported here.
\nCPACS will be released to the general public in spring ’12. The CEASIOM team expe-
\nrience of joining forces via CPACS with DLR is altogether positive and further in-house
\ndevelopment of software for aircraft performance prediction and design by the CEASIOM
\nteam will use the CPACS system.