Abstract: A method of managing a design lifecycle of a structural part includes accessing memory storing computer-readable program code for identifying a supplier for the structural part. The method includes executing the code to cause an apparatus to identify the supplier. The method also includes generating a first design of the structural part, the first design describing a geometry of the structural part and requirements for attributes of the structural part. The method also includes performing a search of a database of existing designs for a second design based on search criteria including multiple ones of the geometry and the requirements, and selecting a design from the first design and the second design based on the search. The method also includes performing a multiple-criteria decision analysis to evaluate the design, identifying the supplier from multiple suppliers, and outputting an indication of the supplier for use in ordering of the structural part.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a structural part includes accessing memory storing code for a software tool to determine a template profile for the structural part. The method includes executing the code to cause an apparatus to execute the software tool for accessing a 3D model of the structural part. The method also includes generating a profile from the 3D model and dimensioning the profile, and accessing and searching a database for stock profiles that match search criteria that include the dimension measurements of the profile set as lower bounds of the corresponding dimension measurements. The method also includes performing a decision analysis to evaluate attributes of the matching stock profiles and identify a selected stock profile. The method also includes outputting an indication of the selected stock profile for manufacturing the structural part from a stock structural part having a cross-sectional profile corresponding to the selected stock profile.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for analysis of a leading edge rib of a fixed leading edge section of an aircraft wing. The apparatus may identify geometric or inertial properties of a plurality of stiffeners of the rib, and based thereon perform an analysis to predict a failure rate of the leading edge rib under an external load. From the failure rate, the apparatus may determine a structural integrity of the leading edge rib under the external load. Performing the analysis may include importing a plurality of section cuts into a finite element model of the rib and thereby identifying nodes proximate the section cuts. Under an external load, internal load distributions may be extracted from elements proximate the nodes and elements, and the failure rate of the leading edge rib under the external load may be predicted based on the internal load distributions of the elements.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for analysis of a leading edge rib of a fixed leading edge section of an aircraft wing. The apparatus may identify geometric or inertial properties of a plurality of stiffeners of the rib in which respective stiffeners are represented by a collection of geometry within a solid model of the rib, and perform an analysis to predict a failure rate of the leading edge rib under an external load. From the failure rate, the apparatus may determine a structural integrity of the leading edge rib under the external load. Identifying the properties may include, extracting a section cut of the geometry that corresponds to and has one or more properties of the respective stiffener, and identifying the properties of the cross-section and thereby the respective stiffener based on a correlation of the cross-section to a generic profile of a plurality of different cross-sections.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for analysis of a leading edge rib of a fixed leading edge section of an aircraft wing. The apparatus may identify geometric or inertial properties of a plurality of stiffeners of the rib in which respective stiffeners are represented by a collection of geometry within a solid model of the rib, and perform an analysis to predict a failure rate of the leading edge rib under an external load. From the failure rate, the apparatus may determine a structural integrity of the leading edge rib under the external load. Identifying the properties may include, extracting a section cut of the geometry that corresponds to and has one or more properties of the respective stiffener, and identifying the properties of the cross-section and thereby the respective stiffener based on a correlation of the cross-section to a generic profile of a plurality of different cross-sections.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for analysis of a leading edge rib of a fixed leading edge section of an aircraft wing. The apparatus may identify geometric or inertial properties of a plurality of stiffeners of the rib, and based thereon perform an analysis to predict a failure rate of the leading edge rib under an external load. From the failure rate, the apparatus may determine a structural integrity of the leading edge rib under the external load. Performing the analysis may include importing a plurality of section cuts into a finite element model of the rib and thereby identifying nodes proximate the section cuts. Under an external load, internal load distributions may be extracted from elements proximate the nodes and elements, and the failure rate of the leading edge rib under the external load may be predicted based on the internal load distributions of the elements.

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: 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.