Siemens Publishes White Paper: Achieving earlier virtual integration of aircraft systems

September 13, 2022 | AUVSI News

We are living in the most innovative era of airspace yet – and with that comes challenges, including a more competitive market, increasingly crowded airspace, and the critical need to maintain the highest level of safety for all airspace users.

Siemens Digital Industries Software has published a white paper on how to implement a model-based design approach and capture the complexity of aircraft systems from the component level to the aircraft system level.

Potential to improve engineering processes

With today’s technology, there is a huge potential to improve engineering processes by shifting from a document-based to model-based design approach.

In order to capture the actual dynamic interaction as soon as possible during concept development and system design, advanced aircraft developers must consider how their systems will interact in the real world.

The white paper recommends implementing tools to improve exploration and analytics, workflow automation, process and data management, and engineering – including:

A system simulation platform like Simcenter Amesim™ software, which can help you master structural, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal and controls engineering.
Scalable multi-domain engineering tools, such as Simcenter System Simulation solutions, to implement a model-based design approach and capture the complexity of aircraft systems from the component level to the aircraft system level.
Product lifecycle management (PLM) systems, such as Teamcenter software from Siemens Digital Industries Software, which can capture and track requirements early in the process and then continue to document the requirements and check compliance throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Closing the loop between the physical and digital word

An ideal approach involves system simulation that allows a product to evolve in the best-possible manner throughout the development timeline, from the early concept phase until final verification and into the in-service cycle. By closing the loop between physical and digital world true collaborative engineering processes throughout the extended enterprise of the aviation industry will become possible.

A model-based design with system simulation plays an important role in this approach, given that it will enable engineers to accelerate processes to aircraft maturity and certification-level performance.

Siemens’ tools are helping the advanced aviation industry initiate methodology shifts. Their suite of tools let engineers represent all the physics in an aircraft and address the component level up to system level and can be integrated into a PLM process.