1. PAPER PRESENTATION
ON
Digital Manufacturing for Aerospace
industry: Experimental Aircraft

2. Abstract: The aerospace manufacturing process is
characterized by complex scenarios that need to be validated in
order to determine manufacturability and low cost production.
Key manufacturing knowledge traduced to best practices is
required to produce successful manufacturing scenarios. New
technologies such as Digital manufacturing tools used through
PLM, are able to access and reuse the best practices, as well as
evaluate 3D manufacturing scenarios. This paper shows how to
reuse collective exp ertise and intelligence using manufacturing
scenarios to support key decisions through PLM. This paper
contributes to the exploration of digital manufacturing tools
using key manufacturing knowledge at PLM environment to
the field of assembly engineering applications. The present
research encompasses multidisciplinary engineering work
teams defining the assembly process of an airplane part. This
paper argues that digital manufacturing tools enable complex
manufacturing scenarios analysis virtually, exchanging
expertise at collaborative work and increasing value added
between collaborators. A case study is presented as a validation
to this idea.

3. Key words: Digital Manufacturing tools at PLM,
Collaborative manufacturing, Assembly process.
1- PLM and Digital Ma nufacturing tools
The PLM approach allows managing all the information,
processes and resources of a product along its development.
Nowadays, to develop new products, the innovation techniques
are not only a designer’s or engineer’s concern. The most
successful companies usually mobilize all their internal
services (marketing and sales, manufacturing, quality and
maintenance…) and external services (suppliers, customers…).
PLM digital tools are useful for a wide range of sectors and
products, for instance to build virtual prototypes. However all
companies should have a PLM approach to help them improve
the management of their products; within the production area,
PLM can save time and money, diminish errors in bullfights
and eliminate possible errors in design, through simulation of
space required, time cycles, and programmed machines like
robots or CNCs. [G4, S1, S2, S3]
Generating knowledge and technological development is
crucial for México country . With this idea in mind, more and
more companies are dev eloping projects with Tecnológico de
Monterrey. An example of this collaboration is a project of
assembly and production of a RV-10 airplane, with the
Integrated Manufacturing Systems Center (Campus
Monterrey) and ICKTAR Company.
For the development of a project of this kind it is required to
work in different areas, all important to a correct operation of
the aircraft produced, and of course, so as to generate a
quality product, which is a key feature in the aeronautic
industry and cannot be overseen. [G1, G2]
Virtual Manufacturing is an important area inside the

4. assembly and production process. In this area relies the task
of computational modeling of the aircraft’s parts, to evaluate
the best work strategy and simulate it, showing the assembly
process with its different parameters and specifications.
2- Digital manufacturing tools at aerospace
industry
Manufacturing is a dynamic, exciting, and critical industry.
A rapidly changing world at an increasingly frantic rate.
Manufacturing systems and processes are being combined
with simulation technology, computer hardware, and
operating systems to reduce costs and increase company
profitability. Perhaps one of the most interesting and
important of these recent developments is called “Virtual
Manufacturing”, which involves the simulation of product
mechanical functionality and the processes involved in its
fabrication. In addition, virtual manufacturing also reduces the
cost of
tooling, eliminates the need for multiple physical prototypes,
and reduces material waste. It provides manufacturers with the
confidence of knowing that they can deliver quality products to
market, on time and within budget. Small improvements in
manufacturing have dramatic and profound effects in terms of
cost and quality, and it not only happens to the beginning of
the life of the product but during its service life. [D1, C1, G4]
Return on investment calculations have shown that small
savings in material usage deliver enormous returns in a
manufacturing environment. A virtual lab for product creation
uses a computer to simulate a product’s performance and the
processes involved in its fabrication. This technology has
enabled companies to simulate fabrication and testing in a
more realistic manner than ever before.

5. The case study explained next is a project concerning the
assembly and redesign of an experimental, true-scale aircraft
RV-10, with capacity for four passengers. This aircraft was
supplied by ICKTAR, a Mexican company, with the general
objective of producing technological competences for
providing high tech. services to the aerospace industry. Such
demanding project was entirely carried out by students of
Tecnológico de Monterrey, enrolled in different teams, each
one undertaking a specific task (or sub-project) tow ards the
completion of the full project. Instructors acted as moderators
and promoters of inter-team communication, rather than
transmitters of knowledge.
Some of the results obtained through this project are shown in
this paper. From the available manufacturing tools that
Dassault Sytemes® offers in PLM environment, just some of
them have been used according to the project’s requirements:
CATIA®, DELMIA® and QUEST®.
Product design analysis
One part of the study was the design of the positioning and
anchorage mechanisms of the battery system to a structure of
new design . The design of this new product was
performed with CATIA.
BATTRERY MODEL

6. Riveting machine
The requirement of creating tools that would help in the
fabrication phase came up. This machine (Figure 2) was
planned to help in the drilling and riveting stations,
optimizing and simplifying the work to be done in the
construction stations. This designed tool is a pneumatic
riveter with a rivets container that facilitates their positioning
during the process.
Layout planning analysis
The preliminary work consisted in subdividing and grouping
the required steps for the assembly into five different
workstations: riveting, drilling, de-burring, fixturing and
assembly. After that, for each station were defined resources,
processes and knowledge using the collaborative work of
experts consulted, as well as the previous experiences of the
members.
The next step was to propose different layouts to arrange the
different workstations, considering the work sequence, the
timings, the material flows and the value-adding processes
(Figure 3). For this task, the PLM digital tools (Factory Flow
simulation, for instance) were significantly useful since some
of the modules are designed to perform these specific
activities, sharing automatically knowledge and information.

7. Layout planning analysis
Ergonomic analysis
Other stage of the project was to use virtual manufacturing
tools in order to make ergonomics analysis due to the
complexity of the traditional assembly procedure (Figure 4).
This analysis included: time studies, process optimization
with an special focus on critical steps of the assembly
process, for quality considerations.
Ergonomic simulation analysis
Factory flow simulation
Finally, a study of all the airplane construction phase
requirements was analyzed in terms of the different flows. A
division has been made into elements, such as materials,
manpower, energy requirements, etc. Figure 5 shows the
simulation of the queue model for the factory flow .

8. Queue model factory flow simulation
Conclusions
Digital manufacturing tools are a helpful set of tools into the
PLM framework, which allow companies to reduce the waste
in material, resources and time. This technology involves the
main process stages of the Product Lifecycle, for instance,
product design, process design, factory flow simulation,
ergonomic analysis, etc. Digital manufacturing are offering
high benefits and revenues to all kind of manufacturing
industries as well as complex industries as the aerospace.
Digital manufacturing tools provided by Dassault Systemes®
(CATIA®, DELMIA® and QUEST ®) supported successfully
the RV-10 battery model development by means of the product
design made in CATIA, process design and ergonomics
analysis by DELMIA and factory flow simulation developed in
QUEST. The results were an efficient battery support
modeling, handling features design, new tool design, and
optimal layout for manufacturing and assembly processes. All
these results allowed building expertise and knowledge to
improve the ICKTAR’s processes.

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