Advanced collaborative engineering launches Airbus 380

Its success is in large part due to the Airbus Concurrent Engineering (ACE) initiative, a systematic approach to aircraft development using best-in-class tools, methods and management in a virtual configured 3D environment. First implemented at Airbus on the A340 programme, it’s been harnessed for the A380 and A400M programmes with the goal of minimising cost and time to market. ACE has proven itself capable of allowing thousands of engineers spread across Europe, separated by different processes, systems and languages, to work concurrently and deliver a highly integrated complex machine. One of the keys is PTC’s Windchill PLM (product lifecycle management) technology, the environment used by more than 6,000 Airbus developers across the UK, France, Germany and Spain. That system synchronises the Airbus complex configuration management module with digital mock up (DMU), allowing designs to be reviewed, simulated and shared electronically across Europe in realistic 3D space. Engineers and manufacturers have been working simultaneously to build the DMUs using their configured views – also running manufacturing planning and moving to design release for procurement, manufacturing and assembly, all in the same environment. The views have been used at every step of development, including pre-sales, maintenance and support. Importantly, the DMUs help to integrate customer requirements as early and accurately as possible into the design process – as well as improving the quality of assembly definition, while allowing for simultaneous validation of manufacturing and assembly processes. DMU also makes change and customisation management easier, and helps in assessing aircraft maintainability and in defining maintenance operations. Gorden Falk, vice-president, cabin interior, Airbus says: “Cabins are installed one month before we hand over the aircraft to the customer, and if there’s an issue … we don’t have much time to solve it. With Windchill, we can iron out any problems before we get to that stage. “The beauty of it is that we are able to tap into the design and engineering know-how from all the national entities. There’s a lot of talent out there, and for the first time we are all working with the same system and using the same processes and language. “Through our integrated processes, we are now able to manufacture parts in a low range of tolerance from the geometric definition, which means they will fit together. This has worked particularly well on the A380, where the larger parts are fitting together first time without the need for any touching up.”