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EADS Innovation Works: Leveraging IoT for Aerospace and Defense
Technology Category
- Drones - Fixed-Wing Drones
Applicable Industries
- Aerospace
- Transportation
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Time Sensitive Networking
The Challenge
EADS Innovation Works, a leading global aerospace and defense company, was faced with the challenge of reducing the weight of aircraft parts to achieve cost savings and meet green transportation goals. The load introduction rib (LIR), a critical part of an aircraft’s wing flap, was a particular focus. The aerodynamic loads are transferred through the LIR onto the wing, and engineers needed to analyze the wing flap under conditions of a jammed flap mechanism. This load scenario traditionally required a detailed model of the flap mechanism. To evaluate the failure criteria of a composite LIR, engineers at EADS Innovation Works used an ANSYS Composite PrepPost model and a shell model, and compared the accuracy and workflow efficiency with a traditional solid model.
About The Customer
EADS is a leading global aerospace and defense company, whose business depends heavily on the development and integration of state-of-the-art technologies in its products to provide the necessary competitive edge in its markets. A global network of Technical Capability Centres, collectively known as EADS Innovation Works, act as corporate Research and Technology (R&T) laboratories to guarantee the company’s long-term technical innovation potential. The structure of this network is consistent with the EADS R&T strategy and encompasses the skills and technology fields that are of critical importance to EADS.
The Solution
The solution involved the use of ANSYS Composite PrepPost to model the composite design of the LIR using shell elements. This innovative approach allowed the modeling of composites by building up plies in the same way they are manufactured. Connections by rivets were defined based on CAD information using beam elements. The post-processing capabilities of ANSYS Composite PrepPost allowed evaluation of failure criteria, including transverse shear stresses and interlaminar normal stresses. This technology provided simple pre- and post-processing of composite designs within ANSYS Workbench, significantly reducing modeling times. A unique feature of the technology enabled evaluation of out-of-plane normal and shear stresses in a composite shell model.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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