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WEIGHT CONTROL RESPONSIBILITY, AUTHORITY, and ACCOUNTABILITY (RAA). Presentation at the 67th Annual Conference of the Society of Allied Weight Engineers, Inc. Seattle, Washington 17-21 May, 2008 Kenneth LaSalle 787 Weight Engineering The Boeing Company. Weight Control RAA Agenda.
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WEIGHT CONTROL RESPONSIBILITY, AUTHORITY, and ACCOUNTABILITY (RAA) Presentation at the67th Annual Conferenceof the Society of Allied Weight Engineers, Inc. Seattle, Washington 17-21 May, 2008 Kenneth LaSalle 787 Weight Engineering The Boeing Company
Weight Control RAAAgenda • Importance of Weight Control • Weight Derivation Ingredients • Roles & Responsibilities • Weight Control Engineering Attribute Overview • Summary
Weight Control RAA • Q: Why is weight efficiency important to airlines? • A: Weight affects 2/3 of the airplane operating cost
Weight Control RAA How is the airplane weight, at Entry Into Service, derived & improved through design process (structural perspective)? Weight = f Configuration + Aerodynamics + Loads + Stress + Design Weight is the result of the released design. To influence the airplane weight, the weight control engineer must influence the design process. Product Development “Design Sensitive” Tools/Parametrics Firm Concept Parametrics + LCPT Initial Sizing Detail Design Fully Released MBDs / Actual Weights • Producibility • Layouts • Ply maps • Buy to Fly • Detailed Part Modeling • Integration • Noise • Design Growth • Etc. • Airfoil Type • Sweep • T/c • Aspect ratio • Span • Etc. • External • Preliminary • Design • MLA • Internal • Thermal • Combined • Etc. • Strength • Fatigue • Stiffness • Criteria • Min Gage • MS • Etc. • Mission req’ts • 3-View • Planform • Integration • Functionality • New Technology • Etc.
Weight Control RAA Roles and Responsibilities (or RAA) • Ensure the weight efficiency & weight compliance of our company’s products • Provide airplane weight estimates given “any” level of design definition • Documented weight estimations w/all assumptions defined • Articulate differences between new design concept and existing fleet • Proactive design influence (must integrate ourselves into the design community) • Lead airplane weight optimization effort (New, Derivative, or Sustaining) • Company leadership’s “primary” resource for weight efficient project planning • Provide technology & weight optimization roadmap (Chart the course w/ R&D Team) • Lead weight reduction planning activities (Idea collection thru implementation) Required Weight Control Engineering Attributes • Big Picture / Vision / Strategy Focus • Teamwork • Technical Competence • Personal Attitude / Challenge / Development
Big Picture / Vision / Strategy • Commercial Airplane Business Unit (Investment in enhanced performance?) • Conditions affecting airlines • High fuel prices? • Passenger expectations (more comfort or direct flights) • Company fleet condition (aging or gaps in family?) • Launched Programs (competing resources) • 787 Family, 777 Freighter, 747-8 • A380, A350 • Airplane Performance Organization (How Do We Balance Risk?) • Engine Performance (SFC) vs. Weight (OEW) vs. Aero Performance (L/D) • Weight Engineering Organization • Communicate frequently to the design team • What is the airplane weight level (understand all assumptions) • Where the airplane level is going (forecasting) • Why we are pursuing target weight level • How we are going to achieve target weight level
Teamwork (Establish Trust & Dependability) • Establish Network • Leadership (First-line to program level) • Configuration & Engineering Analysis (C&EA) • Design • Stress • Loads • Manufacturing • Finance • Global Supplier(s) • Build Relationships… More than just requesting information • Provide Data • On time (meet commitments) • Accurate (fidelity required, list & discuss all assumptions) • Team Player • Ask trade study team to request missing disciplines’ participation • Represent airplane level interests, not just Weight Engineering
Technical CompetenceDetermine Mission Requirement Design Impacts • Range (wing planform & loft size, fuel capacity, low speed devices) • Passenger count (fuselage length & diameter, wing center section width) • Passenger Accommodations (higher humidity, lower cabin alt pressure, large windows) • Speed (wing sweep, airfoil depth, etc.) • Take off & landing performance (i.e. icy runway conditions, field length) • Family plan (weight impacts due to commonality) • Interior architecture (New vs. Derivative vs. Existing Fleet) • Interior flexibility impacts • Overhead space utilization (Crew rest compartments, OCAS, etc.) • Option strategy (what to make basic vs. options) • Cost (NR & Recurring) • Noise - Environmental & Passenger • Maintenance and reliability enhancements • Aviation authority requirements (FAA or EASA) • Entry into service goal
Technical CompetenceUnderstand Schedule & Key Design Gates • Product Development • Firm Concept • Systems Architecture • Initial Loads • Preliminary Loads • Aerodynamic Lines Freeze • Firm Configuration • Firm Interior Architecture • Detail Design Phase • Final Loads • Flight Testing • Entry Into Service (EIS) Weight Reduction Opportunity 1000’s of pounds 10’s of pounds Time
Technical CompetenceUnderstand Work Package Definition • Structures– Ensure clear understanding of: • Part-level definition • Primary vs. secondary structure • Integration structure (splices, sealant, fastener type & size, etc.) • Attachments (composite – bolts in lieu of rivets) • Interfaces (systems to structures, eccentricities, etc.) • Systems – Ensure clear understanding of: • Systems architecture definition (fuel, high lift, hydraulic, electrical, etc.) • Systems separation • Bomb blast • Engine/APU blade off/rotor burst • Loads (determine which ones are critical, how close is next condition) • External (static – 2.5G flaps down, dynamic – gust) • Internal (buckling, combined loading, thermal, etc.) • Systems (fan blade out, voltage, heat, power, , flow, rpms, psi, etc.) • Materials • Allowables (A-basis vs. B-basis, criteria effects, etc.) • Density (areal weight, density, etc.) • Sizing criteria (choose most efficient material, i.e., for fatigue or strength or durability) • Application (CFRP… ply orientation/optimization, etc.) • Cost (Titanium vs. Aluminum)
Technical CompetenceUnderstand Weight, Cost, Schedule Relationship • Determine significant technical weight drivers • Material selection • Planform (Wing & Empennage) • Body cross-section • Airfoil technology • High lift systems • Load alleviation • Architecture • Integration • Supplier base • System’s performance requirements (Temp, flow, power, pressure, etc.) • Determine large cost drivers (typically compete with large weight drivers) • Advanced materials (procurement cost, manufacturing, etc.) • Advanced build technology (new facilities, tooling, etc.) • New Technology (high-pressure hydraulics, fiber optics, advanced magnetics, etc.) • Balance weight vs. performance vs. cost vs. schedule
Technical CompetenceAsk Questions / Challenge Decisions • Ask questions & compare existing fleet data • What requirements and objectives guide the design? • What advisories are circulating that affect the design? • Study or create “Tops Down” charts to compare fleet data • Challenge decisions and criteria • Requirements • Commonality designs • Material selections • Production Constraints • Inspectable • Preferred materials and standard parts • Handling constraints (envelope, weight, robustness) • Assembly techniques & tooling • Architectural or layout arrangement • Loads, stress and design assumptions (Conservative?) • Provide Feedback • Positive & negative • Say “thank you”
Personal Attitude/Challenge/Development • Having a positive and optimistic outlook and approach enables: • Strong design team working relationships - trust, integrity, ethics • More cross-functional participation resulting in accumulation of known and unknown information • Mentoring & friendship opportunities • Developing weight control attributes takes repetition working through new designs • Learning to be inquisitive, while providing appropriate support, is necessary • Communication skills are an essential asset • Implementation of short- and long-term career development plans needs to occur early
Summary • Weight Engineering is a diverse and technical field • Weight control engineering is proactive • Roles and responsibilities change as program progresses through design cycle • Communication, both verbal and written, are key • It takes a lengthy period to become an adept weight control engineer