An agent-based collaborative design framework for feature-based design of aircraft structural parts

Abstract

Multiple and concurrent iterations during the design phase of aircraft structural parts significantly increase the lead-time and cost of new aircraft products' development. Effective communication, collaboration and coordination of designers and software tools used by them are key mechanisms to address this challenge. This article presents an agent-based collaborative design framework to facilitate the collaboration of feature-based aircraft structural parts design and analysis tools, including detailed design, machining feature recognition, feature-based manufacturability evaluation and cost estimation. A new kind of attribute adjacency graph called dynamic holistic attribute adjacency graph (DHAAG) is established for local feature recognition. A dynamic machining feature relation matrix (DMFRM) is created for incremental manufacturability analysis. Process plans are generated based on DMFRM for cost estimation, and the result will feedback to designer for improving design. A prototype system has been implemented and demonstrated through a case study in collaboration with a major aircraft manufacturer in China.

Keywords:

• agent-based system
• collaborative engineering
• cost analysis
• feature extraction
• manufacturability evaluation
• aircraft structural part

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support by National Natural Science Foundation Project of China (50905087), Natural Science Foundation Project for Colleges and Universities in Jiangsu Province of China (10KJB460003), Aeronautical Science Foundation Project of China (2010ZE52057), and National Science and Technology Major Project of China (2010ZX04015-011).