From the ashes of conflict
The history of systems engineering is rooted in the need to manage and integrate complex projects with significant components or ‘systems’, especially during times of rapid technological advancement. So, it should come as no surprise that the concept grew from the large-scale military endeavors required during the Second World War. The need to ensure everything worked together efficiently gave birth to the systematic planning and coordination methods that remain at the heart of modern systems engineering concepts.
Whilst the underpinning principles of systems engineering have remained unchanged, how they are applied in practice is constantly evolving, as large-scale industrial projects push the boundaries of complexity and scale. This remains especially relevant in Aerospace and Defense (A&D). Today’s A&D systems are more intricate and connected than ever before. Consider autonomous robotics surveillance systems; electronic warfare operations; or the current generation of longhaul passenger aircraft — all of which involve layers of complexity beyond the conventional industry programs for which systems engineering was originally designed.
Smart Systems engineering shows promise in production
The rise of intelligent digital technologies has also dictated how systems engineering is practiced. It has driven the evolution of common methodologies into Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) – in which, advanced tools allow engineers to create virtual twins of complex systems. These improve design and testing and smooth the integration of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy, ensuring their introduction is safe and efficient, and predicting their effects on the overall system. The emergence of MBSE now offers companies a way to design smarter, collaborate better, and innovate faster, limiting the need to build a physical prototype until everything has been simulated and tested digitally first.
Why MBSE for A&D Manufacturing
MBSE has already been transformational for the design and development of novel A&D systems, but Capgemini and Dassault Systèmes believe that it has the potential to achieve much more. This is why we are working together to explore the application of MBSE further along the A&D product lifecycle, into manufacturing and production.
MBSE is highly relevant here because it is very effective at streamlining processes, improving quality, and managing complexity – some of the biggest challenges for large scale manufacturing teams in the A&D industry. By applying the same digital tools used in the development of a new system to its manufacture, A&D companies can simulate the required production process, including assembly lines, resource allocation, and workflow. This gives them the visibility to optimize the production schedule, minimize bottlenecks, and improve efficiency all before physical production begins.
MBSE’s ability to foster more effective collaboration between the many moving parts of a large production operation means it is an effective way to remove internal silos that can slow down and complicate large projects. MBSE makes this possible by bridges the gap that exists between design and production and the various teams within. It offers a single source of truth, using digital tools that integrate both processes. This has become essential because in this environment, engineers and production teams are often separated, and when they do work together, they rarely speak the same language. Both create dangerous gaps in the system lifecycle that can result in delays, waste, and cost.
MBSE gives both groups a way to connect through a common view of real time data about both of their worlds, and helps them avoid issues such as mismatched specifications or unclear instructions. This is particularly important in the delivery of large A&D projects such as 6th generation fighters or high earth orbit satellites, which often involve intricate assemblies of thousands of components, all reliant on each other and all feeding into a considerable overall system. Here MBSE can help production teams ensure that every part fits together correctly by defining precise relationships between components and systems at the earliest opportunity, reducing human errors during assembly.
Capgemini and Dassault Systèmes join forces
At Capgemini and Dassault Systèmes, our teams have combined their respective experience of MBSE to offer a disruptive capability specifically designed for A&D production. Our collective experience spans every aspect of systems engineering, digital transformation, and production processes throughout the lifecycle of Aerospace and Defense systems, giving us a unique perspective on how the theory of MBSE can be applied in practice for tangible benefits.
We also recognize that MBSE is not a magical solution to address every manufacturing challenge. But we can see it is already proving powerful for supporting the identification of high-level solutions and the subsequent articulation of detailed designs for A&D systems. We believe that MBSE has the power
to enhance A&D manufacturing by improving efficiency, quality, and agility, ensuring that the complex systems we are designing today for the future of Aerospace and Defense can be built accurately and delivered on time.
Continue your reading
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