Donelli, Giuseppa (2024) Systems Engineering holistic approach for aircraft, manufacturing and supply chain concurrent design. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Abstract

Over years, public perception of aviation has evolved, placing greater emphasis on climate change, sustainable solutions and fastest and most affordable connections. This has led in the Flightpath 2050, a comprehensive vision for European aviation aiming at achieving climate neutrality, global leadership and meeting citizen needs. To realize these goals, a fundamental shift is necessary in the way aeronautical systems are conceived, built and sustained. The key aspect of this fundamental shift is the integration of manufacturing and supply chain decisions from the early design stages. This integrated approach is crucial for overcoming the limitations of traditional sequential method, which prevented adaptability to market changes and increased costs. Companies like Airbus, Boeing, Toyota, and Honda have faced these challenges. By adopting an integrated approach and leveraging digital transformation, companies can instead enhance innovation, efficiency, and competitiveness throughout the aircraft life cycle. This research activity, framed in this context, investigate the following research question: Can making more decisions in the early life-cycle stage increases the value of complex aeronautical systems? Real-world cases have demonstrated how production-related decisions are often made after the aircraft design has been completed and the related challenges faced.To overcome these issues, and in relation to the identified research question, this work aims to demonstrate that: The concurrent conceptual design, manufacturing and supply chain leads to more competitive, affordable and resilient aeronautical systems. The objective is to formalize, implement and apply a holistic systems engineering framework to demonstrate this hypothesis and provide an answer to the research question. In line with this objective, the literature review covers three key research areas: architectural frameworks, methodologies for the concurrent design and optimization evaluation, value model techniques. This in-depth review highlights key gaps in existing research regarding the use of a systems engineering approach to formalize the concurrent design of the three systems and demonstrate how this can enhance the value of aeronautical systems. In addition, literature still lacks of methodologies enabling the concurrent design evaluation and optimization of architectures integrating product and production choices. In this frame, a Systems for System Framework, shortly S4S Framework, is proposed to allow the concurrent conceptual design of the manufacturing, supply chain and aircraft systems. The S4S formalizes the processes of the life-cycle concept stage for the three systems. Based on the ISO 15288, it encompasses the definition of stakeholders’ needs and requirements, generation of architecture alternatives and their evaluation to aid decision-making. To execute the processes of the S4S Framework, a model-based approach is used. This approach provides a structured, integrated, and dynamic way of modelling, representing and analyzing complex systems throughout their life cycle. Information is captured in centralized digital models that are continuously updated improving accuracy and consistency, enhancing collaboration, scalability and flexibility leading to faster iterations and solutions innovation. The application of the S4S Framework in two case studies demonstrates its use advantages. The most efficient and competitive aeronautical systems can be identified in the solutions tradespace, in alignment with design and production requirements and stakeholders´needs. Aeronautical systems are so designed to increase the cost-effectiveness, by anticipating the evaluation of later stages. By integrating production performance assessments into the design phase, designers can make informed decisions that enhance manufacturability and supply chain efficiency. This integrated approach also helps proactively identifying and addressing potential production bottlenecks, reducing costs and increasing the overall value of the aeronautical systems. All the activities performed in this study are summarized in the conclusions with the main findings and key recommendations for the future.

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