Whitepapers
Transitioning to RTCA DO-178C/DO-278A: A Business Manager Brief
By Hoyt Lougee, Engineering Director - Foliage Inc.
With the release of the new development guidance for certifiable aviation software, RTCA DO-178C/DO-278A, executives and business managers for manufacturers of both airborne and ground-based systems are examining the short- and long-term impacts on their certifiable-product development approaches with respect to cost, schedule, and risk. Although the changes within DO-178C/DO-278A proper are relatively few, manufacturers can expect critical wide-ranging business impacts on their current certifiable aviation software development. More significant are the four detailed supplements intended to address 20 years of technology and process progress since the last major revisions of development guidelines.
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IT Strategies for Aerospace and Defense
The outlook for growth in the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry is quite good. Major platforms are standing up in both the commercial sector and the defense sector, which will carry manufacturing activity for at least the next 10 years. Other segments such as air freight, business jets, and network-centric warfare remain robust, which adds to industry optimism. Meanwhile, the industry is in tremendous transition thanks to new contracting vehicles and new approaches to design, supply chains, and aftermarket service.
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Simplified 5-Axis Machining
The appeal of multi-axis machine tools is obvious to machine shops of all sizes. These machines typically require only one setup to machine an entire part, saving time and improving accuracy between operations. These advanced machines also have the capability to change the tool axis direction in order to reach machinable areas with shorter, more rigid tools or to reach undercut zones that could not be cut at all with standard methods. These benefits make it easy to justify the cost of upgrading to the latest technology.
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Laser Trackers Shrink Aircraft-Sized Manufacturing Problems
Building aircraft has always been a struggle between the size of their components and the need to craft them carefully. More than any other device, airplanes epitomize the concept that “the devil is in the details” because in small errors lies the potential for great mischief such as increased drag and decreased range. The trend is for smoother transitions and, where possible, jointless design.
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Implementing the 5S Workplace Organization Methodology Programs in Manufacturing Facilities
Benefits to the companies from using the 5S (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain) methodology include raising quality, lowering costs, promoting safety, building customer confidence, increasing factory up-time and lowering repair costs. Lista International assists companies in implementing 5S methods as part of the lean manufacturing programs to drive waste out of manufacturing processes. The Lista products offer waste elimination through space reduction, organization improvement and inventory management.
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Applying Automation to the Fabrication of Composite Based Aerospace Parts and Developing a Machine Specification
Aircraft and rotorcraft parts made from high performance composite materials are superior to earlier generation metals due to their increased strength, reduced weight, and increased service life. For these reasons most aircraft part designers choose to create new parts out of carbon fiber reinforced plastic despite the challenges involved, namely that the manufacture of CFRP parts are more complex than traditional materials and can therefore make parts more costly to produce.
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Taking the guesswork out of pneumatic control
Here's a step-by-step approach to efficiently designing systems that work right the first time.
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The Five C's of A & D Success
This paper discusses some important considerations for A&D manufacturers in the context of enterprise information systems and how they can help in addressing five important areas of concern—compliance, control, communications, competitiveness, and cutting cost, waste and complexity. Enterprise systems are essential tools for running a manufacturing business effectively, but the demands of the A&D market can place demands on system that are not easily addressed by one-size-fits-all products that are not specifically tailored to this environment.
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Building a better CMM — real-world performance for real-world solutions
Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs) are
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