Abstract: Methods and apparatus to vary reverse thrust of aircraft engines are disclosed. An example cascade apparatus disclosed herein includes a cascade frame having a first end, a second end, and a fixed structure extending between the first end and second end, where the cascade frame defines a slot. A cascade forms a reverse thrust flow path and at least a portion of the cascade is slidably coupled to the frame via the slot. The cascade slides relative the frame between a first position to produce a first reverse thrust and a second position to produce a second reverse thrust, where the first reverse thrust is different than the second reverse thrust.

Abstract: A system and method for creating an optimized composite laminate structure containing a plurality of plies. The system has a processor and a memory, including an application interface. The application interface, when executed by the processor, is configured to operably: receive an input file having one or more of a maximum number of plies, design variables, material properties, and design constraints; determine an initial layup sequence defining parameters of a fiber orientation angle for each ply, and a total percentage of plies at a given fiber orientation angle; iteratively adjust the parameters, until an optimum set of parameters is obtained that achieves one or more predetermined margins of safety, and that achieves optimization of the composite laminate structure; and generate an output file for creating a layup, according to the parameters. The system further has a layup system for creating the optimized composite laminate structure.

Abstract: There is provided a system for reading geometric data from parametric model or a nonparametric model from a CAD model file. The system has a processor and an interface application, which when executed by the processor, is configured to operably receive automatically, using a first interface application, an input file that includes data representing one or more components of a three-dimensional model, and is further configured to operably determine, using the first interface application, a type of a part represented by the three-dimensional model. The first interface application has instructions, one or more algorithms, or a combination thereof, and is further configured to automatically operably identify, select, and group geometric data associated with specific geometric data of the three-dimensional model, based on a set of parametric rules. The processor writes extracted specific geometric data to a first geometry intermediate output file.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to vary reverse thrust of aircraft engines are disclosed. An example cascade apparatus disclosed herein includes a cascade frame having a first end, a second end, and a fixed structure extending between the first end and second end, where the cascade frame defines a slot. A cascade forms a reverse thrust flow path and at least a portion of the cascade is slidably coupled to the frame via the slot. The cascade slides relative the frame between a first position to produce a first reverse thrust and a second position to produce a second reverse thrust, where the first reverse thrust is different than the second reverse thrust.

Abstract: A system and method for creating an optimized composite laminate structure containing a plurality of plies. The system has a processor and a memory, including an application interface. The application interface, when executed by the processor, is configured to operably: receive an input file having one or more of a maximum number of plies, design variables, material properties, and design constraints; determine an initial layup sequence defining parameters of a fiber orientation angle for each ply, and a total percentage of plies at a given fiber orientation angle; iteratively adjust the parameters, until an optimum set of parameters is obtained that achieves one or more predetermined margins of safety, and that achieves optimization of the composite laminate structure; and generate an output file for creating a layup, according to the parameters. The system further has a layup system for creating the optimized composite laminate structure.

Abstract: There is provided a system for reading geometric data from a parametric model or a nonparametric model from a CAD model file. The system has a processor and an interface application, which when executed by the processor, is configured to operably receive automatically, using a first interface application, an input file that includes data representing one or more components of a three-dimensional model, and is further configured to operably determine, using the first interface application, a type of a part represented by the three-dimensional model. The first interface application has instructions, one or more algorithms, or a combination thereof, and is further configured to automatically operably identify, select, and group geometric data associated with specific geometric data of the three-dimensional model, based on a set of parametric rules. The processor writes extracted specific geometric data to a first geometry data intermediate output file.