AERONAUTlCS simulation NASA's Advanced Composites Consortium members will plug their analysis tools into the HyperSizer Stress Framework for rapid airframe analysis (above) and design optimization of robotic automated fibre placement (AFP) manufactured structures (below) University of South Carolina McNAIR Centre for Aerospace Innovation and Research, and the Wichita State University National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). The ACC aims to bring better composite material analysis, design, and manufacturing into practice to help maintain the American leadership in aviation manufacturing. The consortium was formed by NASA in support of the Advanced Composites Project, which is part of the Advanced Air Vehicles Programme in the agency's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. The project's goal is to reduce product development and certification timelines by 30% for composite aircraft. The push to take weight out of structures designed for flight is leading to a greater use of composites in the aerospace industry. As these advanced materials are more complex to certify than metals, the use of automated, 32 integrated analysis and design-performance optimization is critical - from the earliest stages of development all the way through manufacturing - to ensure that composites are used most effectively and certified for flight most efficiently. Rapid tools and design for manufacturing I have been appointed cooperative research team (CRT) leader of two ACC initiatives: Rapid tools and Design for manufacturing. Rapid tools are important because the bulk of aircraft design development and structural certification analysis revolves around them. The design maturation process spans several years. Shortening this long portion of the schedule will have a huge impact on the aircraft production timeline. Design for manufacturing includes technologies such as robotic auto- jec composites magazine / No112 April - May 2017 mated fibre placement (AFP) and curing processes during the analysis and optimization design phases. Merging these technologies early and iteratively will help engineers improve quality and consistency in laminate fabrication, resulting in fewer defects and streamlined certification. Collier Research's HyperSizer was the first software to be commercialized out of NASA. It has been used in many projects for the U.S. Space Programme (such as the Orion Crew Module) and by many aircraft manufacturers - including Spirit AeroSystems, which designed a fuselage for the Bell V-280 Valor defence helicopter prototype for the Department of Defence's Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator ( JMR TD) programme. More information: www.hypersizer.comhttp://www.hypersizer.com