Synthesis of landing gear simulation models based on architectures and templates
Creators: name:  E. ALLEGAERT 
name:   Y. LEMMENS 
name:   E. ONGUT 
Publisher: name: Proceedings of  the 9th European Conference for Aerospace Sciences. Lille, France, 27 June - 1 July, 2022
Year: 2022
Subjects: STRUCTURES
MATERIALS
DESIGN
OPTIMIZATION

description: Abstract Reduced design cycles are an engineering challenge for landing gear manufacturers. It incentivises to reuse proven designs and avoid exploring new designs to minimize risk and cost. Considering the large amount of expert knowledge involved in analysis and design trade-offs, advancement can be made by speeding up the process of setting up simulation models. A software tool was developed that synthesizes CAD models, FE simulations and multibody simulations in Simcenter 3D by using a library of template models. The software builds further on a recently finished project [1]. The methodology uses a formal representation of the system called architecture and it describes the components of the system and how they interact. Combined with a library of template models, simulation model synthesis happens by letting the components interface elements correspond e.g., points and planes. Additionally, constraints are added to represent physical joints. It was found that interfaces between components should be defined as generally as possible to increase reuse of templates. This agrees with findings in Bussemaker et al [2]. The tool promotes the capture and reuse of inhouse knowledge because by using template models the creator must attend to interfaces, parametric robustness and design intent. Consequently, a basic user can take advantage of the experts knowledge and quickly piece together a simulation model. This is possible because in the philosophy of object-oriented programming where the expert has control over what information is exposed to the other users. However, no programming knowledge is needed because the landing gear expert can configure the tool and add template models by adding or modifying JSON files. Then, the non-expert user can select a landing gear architecture, assign models to the components, change parameters, add extra boundary conditions that are not already in the model template, request analysis outputs and add engineering handbook methods. The tool aims to accelerate the setup of full system analyses such as FE ground load cases and dynamic multibody simulations of manoeuvres like landing, taxi and towing. The focus of the tool is to create the simulation models needed for design space exploration and optimization studies typically needed by landing gear manufacturers. OEMs could benefit from the tool to study high-level decisions to optimize load transfer from landing gear to airframe. The presented tool lowers the barrier to create full-fledged simulations and experiment with innovative solutions e.g., active control strategies of the shock absorber [3]. Furthermore, a project is ongoing to add an assembly assessment module to the tool. To conclude: a software tool was presented to support landing gear design by synthesizing CAD, mechanical and dynamic simulation models in Simcenter 3D. The tool makes use of a library of template models that are assigned to a landing gear architecture through a graphical user interface. The tool is open to modification through JSON files to fit in existing design workflows. Virtually any scenario can be simulated as long as it can be expressed in parametrized template models. References: [1] E.Allegaert, J. Menu, Y. Lemmens, S. Dutre, E. Ongut and W. Wilson, Architecture-based conceptual design for mechanical systems applied to landing gear, paper 403 proceedings of 1st Aerospace Europe Conference, Bordeaux 25-28 February 2020 [2] J. Bussemaker, P.D. Ciampa and B. Nagel, SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE DESIGN SPACE MODELING AND OPTIMIZATION ELEMENTS, proceedings of 32th ICAS Congress 2020/21 [3] M. Zarchi, B. Attaran, Improved design of an active landing gear for a passenger aircraft using multi-objective optimization technique, Struct Multidisc Optim 59, 18131833 (2019)