This paper presents a System of Systems Engineering approach to aircraft design. For this purpose, conventional design disciplines are coupled with Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS) defining a unique optimization problem. The proposed methodology is applied to design seaplanes for an on-demand transportation system connecting the Greek islands. Within this network, diverse scenarios are analyzed by varying parameters of the model such as fleet size and travel demands at each seaport. The objective is to show the impact of including ABMS in the design workflow on the optimized seaplane design parameters. The optimum designs are evaluated on the basis of a number of performance metrics, to assess to what extent they can aid (or substitute) existent maritime means of transportation. The results reveal optimal fleet performance for seaplanes characterized by lower cruise speeds and passenger capacities, as compared to those derived from conventional methodologies and to existing designs. @en

View Video Presentation: https://doi-org.tudelft.idm.oclc.org/10.2514/6.2021-3078.vid

Decisions regarding the system architecture are important and taken early in the design process, however suffer from large design spaces and expert bias. Systematic design space exploration techniques, like optimization, can be applied to system architecting. Realistic engineering benchmark problems are needed to enable development of optimization algorithms that can successfully solve these black-box, hierarchical, mixed-discrete, multi-objective architecture optimization problems. Such benchmark problems support the development of more capable optimization algorithms, more suitable methods for modeling system architecture design space, and educating engineers and other stakeholders on system architecture optimization in general. In this paper, an engine architecting benchmark problem is presented that exhibits all this behavior and is based on the open-source simulation tools pyCycle and OpenMDAO. Next to thermodynamic cycle analysis, the proposed benchmark problem includes modules for the estimation of engine weight, length, diameter, noise and NOx emissions. The problem is defined using modular interfaces, allowing to tune the complexity of the problem, by varying the number of design variables, objectives and constraints. The benchmark problem is validated by comparing to pyCycle example cases and existing engine performance data, and demonstrated using both a simple and a realistic problem formulation, solved using the multi-objective NSGA-II algorithm. It is shown that realistic results can be obtained, even though the design space is subject to hidden constraints due to the engine evaluation not converging for all design points.@en

The research and innovation AGILE project has developed an approach, the so-called AGILE Paradigm, focusing on the acceleration of the deployment and operation of collaborative Multidisciplinary Design Analysis Optimization systems, which in turns can be exploited to accelerate the development of complex products, such as novel aerospace systems. Although the technologies developed for the implementation of the paradigm, have proved to reduce the deployment and operational time to more than 40% with respect to conventional MDAO approaches, the AGILE Paradigm has not been formalized and model by digital design engineering practices. This work introduces a novel approach leveraging MBSE principles to streamline the development of agile MDAO design systems, and establishing a bridge between MBSE and MDAO. Major outcomes here presented are the MBSE-driven models of the so-called AGILE MDAO system, representing the architecture, the requirements, as well as the organizational aspects, and all the interactions and activities implemented during the life-cycle stages of the MDAO system. The MBSE Architectural Framework, which defines the underlying ontological concepts and perspectives driving the development of the AGILE MDAO system model, are modeled and presented as well. The paper introduces for the first time the overall approach, as well as the high-level elements of the models developed, here represented by making use of SysML standard. The described approach is at the core of the recently launched project AGILE4.0, in which its scope will be expanded to cover the entire life-cycle of the development of complex aeronautical systems.

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