Aircraft Concept Development
Axalp Technologies can support your team to develop an idea or business case into a viable aircraft concept design.
First Steps
Requirements and Concept of Operations
A good basis for a successful aircraft development project is a careful product fit, starting with well-developed requirements.
We start every aircraft concept development project by a review of the use case(s). This turns the business case into a Concept of Operations (ConOps). From that ConOps flows the definition of the system requirements.
We know the strong and lasting impact of good requirements on aircraft design. We already consider operational environments, reliability and maintainability, and manufacturing methods.
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Concepts
Initial Sizing and Sketches
Next up, we collect all the inputs into a concept. We follow a logical approach to transform the idea to sketches, working closely with the customer.
We perform initial sizing using empirical data. We may also infuse the initial sizing with knowledge and data from a prior technology maturation efforts.
Based on our broad experience and knowledge, we systematically develop a variety of concepts, keeping in mind the system requirements as well as real-world operational and safety needs.
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Evaluation
Preliminary Analysis
We have a variety of in-house tools available to analyze the performance and efficiency of proposed designs. We can analyze and examine all necessary disciplines involved in creating a successful system.
Aerodynamics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), including the performance of propellers and rotors.
Stability and control analysis.
Structural mass tools for airframe and propulsive components.
Electrical system sizes, weights, and power requirements.
For the initial analysis, we make sure we use the right level of fidelity in our tools, balancing a desire for the most granular data with a need for speed in early design loops.
Next comes checks with increasing fidelity for critical mission design points. We increase our analysis rigor as the aircraft continues to converge during conceptual design.
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Under the microscope
Concept Design Review
We are ready for a conceptual design review! (CoDR) Constructive feedback at this stage serves as an important foundation to prepare for the preliminary design phase.
After successfully completing the CoDR, the product development process can continue with further detail added to the aircraft concept.
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Roadmap to a Product
Further Design and Development
Reaching a viable conceptual design and passing the CoDR review gate is just a first step. Axalp Technologies has experience in supporting our customers through the preliminary design and detailed design phases, including reaching further gate reviews such as system requirements review, preliminary design review, critical design review, and manufacturing readiness review. Each review increases the depth and understanding of the system.
The System Requirements Review establishes the technical assessment of the specifications of the system.
The Preliminary Design Review assesses the top-level design of the allocated requirements to subsystems.
The Critical Design Review shows the technical performance of all subsystems, allowing the start of the fabrication of prototype parts.
The Manufacturing Readiness Review is the final step to review that the design is ready to move into series production.
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