Aircraft concept generation

Maxim Tyan

Spring 2023

Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

 A Product
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

1) something produced
2) something (such as a service) that is
marketed or sold as a commodity
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/product

2
 Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

Product development process

3
 Concept generation is a critical step in engineering design
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Starting with a set of customer needs

and target specifications concept
generation concludes with array of
product alternatives
▪ One or several of the alternatives are
selected for further development

Fig: Concept development funnel

4
 Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

Example of T-50 aircraft concept development

5
 Five step process for product generation
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

2. Search externally
Subproblems - Interview lead users and Existing concepts
experts
- Look for existing solutions
- Perform benchmarking

1. Clarify the problem 4. Explore 5. Reflect on the

- Understand the problem systematically solution
- Decompose into smaller - Classification trees
problems - Generate constructive
- Concept combination matrix
- Focus on critical problems feedback
- Constrain propagation

Integrated solutions

3. Search internally
- Generate ideas
Subproblems - Perform brainstorming New concepts

6
 Step 1. Clarify the problem(s)
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Develop a general understanding of the problem

▪ Break down the problem into subproblems
▪ Focus on the critical subproblems

▪ Inputs
o Mission statement
o Customer needs
o Preliminary product specifications

7
 Many design challenges are too complex to solve as a single
problem
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Dividing problem into simpler problems is called problem decomposition

▪ Three types of problem decomposition exist

▪ Functional decomposition
o Most applicable to technical products
▪ Decomposition by sequence of user actions
o Useful for products with simple technical functions involving a lot of user interaction
o Example: hand drill
▪ Decomposition by key customer needs
o Useful for products in which form and not working principles is the primary problem
o Example: ball point pen

8
 Functional decomposition
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

1. Represent a system as a black-box

2. Specify inputs and outputs as: material, energy, signal
3. Divide the block into subfunctions to create a more specific description of
what subfunctions can do to implement the overall function
4. Repeat until each function is simple enough to work with

9
 Example of functional decomposition for handheld nailer
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

10
 Problem decomposition for complex systems
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Aircraft is a very complex system that has multiple functions and operational
stages
▪ Combination of the decomposition types is required
o Divide by operation phases
o Create function decomposition for each phase

11
 Example of problem statement for eVTOL UAV design
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

1. Aircraft should be capable of

o Vertical takeoff and landing
o Cruise in fixed wing mode
2. Flight endurance should be longer than 6 hours*
3. Aircraft should be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell power system
4. Store a payload

* For comparison battery powered UAV of same size can fly approximately 2 hours
12
 Decompose into simpler subproblems
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

1. Vertical takeoff and landing

1. Generate thrust in vertical direction Decompose more
2. Provide stability and control
2. Cruise in fixed wing mode
1. Allow transition to forward flight mode
1. Generate thrust in vertical direction
2. Generate lift
2. Generate lift
1. Generate thrust in horizontal direction
3. Provide stability and control in longitudinal and lateral directional motions
3. Use a hydrogen fuel cell as the main power source
4. Store payload (type of payload is specified by user)

13
 Functional decomposition: thrust generation of a hydrogen fuel
cell powered aircraft
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

Fuel (hydrogen, battery charge)

Motion in vertical direction
Throttle control input

Non-useful output: need to decide how to manage it

Useful output

14
 Focus on critical subproblems
Decide which problems are the most critical to the success
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ The goal of decomposition techniques is to divide a complex problem into

simpler problems
▪ The team must choose subproblems that are the most critical to the success of
the product and will benefit from creative solutions
▪ The top-level priority is typically set by stakeholders via requirements
o Flight efficiency
o Comfort
o Operational (ticket) cost
o Environment (noise, exhaust)

15
 Example of aircraft functional decomposition
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ F. I. Romli, “Functional Analysis for Conceptual Aircraft Design,” JOAMS, pp. 349–353, 2013, doi: 10.12720/joams.1.4.349-353.
16
 Step 2: Search externally
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Implementing existing solution is much quicker and cheaper than developing a

new one
▪ Team can focus on critical subproblems
▪ Expand and focus strategy can be applied to gather information

▪ Solution can be
o Specific product available on the market (e.g., electric motor or battery)
▪ It can be easier to purchase a ready solution and integrate it into your system
o Technology (e.g., 8 VTOL motors arranged 4-by-4 on both sides of the aircraft)
▪ In this case more investigation and development may be required

17
 Source of existing solutions
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute
▪ Interview lead users (operators,
passengers)
o Benefit from improvement
o Innovation source
▪ Consult experts
o Technical experts
o Experienced customers
▪ Search patents
o Search related inventions
▪ Search published literature
o Technical journals
o Trade literature
▪ Benchmark related products
o Competitive products
18
 Focus on critical problems
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Search for solution for all the subproblems

▪ Identify which solution is obvious
o The most widely used technology (available, efficient)
o Technology that currently doesn’t have alternatives
▪ Identify which subproblems may have alternative solutions
o Different technologies that solve the same problem
▪ Identify which problem will give the maximum boost to the whole problem

19
 Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

Example of patent search

20
 Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

Example patent for VTOL aircraft

21
 Search published data: journal papers, books, articles
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

22
 Store all the information into a shared knowledgebase that each
team member has access to
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Write down the problem you are trying to solve

▪ List all the available solutions
o Include links, specs, features, etc.
▪ Make sure you include metric so different solutions can be compared to each
other
▪ Use a shared knowledgebase system with your team

23
 Example: list potential solution for each of the subproblem
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute
Store hydrogen
Convert chemical energy to electrical
Convert electrical energy to mechanical
Convert mechanical energy to thrust
Store electric energy
Trigger and control motors
Tank material: carbon, metal;
Type of hydrogen: gas, liquid
Storage pressure: 300, 600, 900 bar
Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)
Brushless DC Motor (BLDC)
Propeller type: fixed/variable pitch
Propeller material: wood, carbon
Duct fan
Battery Li-Po, Li-Ion, Zn-Air
Electronic speed controller (ESC)
24
 Step 3: Search internally
Use of personal and team knowledge and creativity
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Try to find a solution for individual subproblem

▪ Generate a lot of ideas
▪ Suspend judgement
o Do not analyze or judge
o Generate concept that solve one or several subproblems
▪ Welcome ideas that seem infeasible
o Generate strange and complicated concepts
o Concept arts, be inspired by fantasy books and movies
▪ Use graphical and physical media
o Draw by hand

25
 Concept, Brainstorming, and
Konkuk Aerospace Design ∙ Airworthiness Institute

Teaming Balance
Teamwork
• Better at Individual work
evaluation • Better at creativity

Brainstorming
• No bad ideas
• Out of the box Structure
thinking • Drives purpose, decision,
and documentation

26
 Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

Think out of the box

27
 Step 4: explore systematically
Organize all the ideas and solutions
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Combine solutions for each individual subproblem into an integrated solution

(concept)
o Create concepts of subsystems and large systems
▪ Organize the team thinking using
o Classification tree
o Concept combination table

28
 Classification tree
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Concept classification tree helps the team divide the possible solutions into
several distinct classes
▪ Pruning of less promising branches
▪ Identification of independent approaches to the problem
▪ Exposure of inappropriate emphasis on certain branch
▪ Refinement of the problem decomposition for a particular branch

29
 Example of classification tree for a hydrogen storage problem
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

Remaining options
1. Variable pitch doesn’t provide
Carbon any benefit in VTOL flight
Fixed pitch - Range of velocities is small
Wood
- Complicated mechanism
- Expensive and heavy
Propeller Carbon
Ground
adjustable 2. No available off-the-shelf duct
Wood
Generate Variable pitch fan for UAV. Need more
thrust in VTOL development time/cost
mode In-flight
…
Carbon adjustable

Duct fan Metal

Plastic

30
 Concept combination table (also called morphological matrix)
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

Store hydrogen Store electric energy Generate thrust

Carbon tank, 300 gas Li-Po battery Fixed pitch carbon prop
Carbon tank, 600 bar gas Li-Ion battery Fixed pitch wooden prop
Carbon tank, 900 bar liquid

▪ Remaining subproblems have only one available solution

o Convert chemical energy to electrical: PEMFC
o Convert electrical energy to mechanical: BLDC motor
o Control the power: ESC

31
 Create concepts using combination of solutions
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

Store hydrogen Store electric energy Generate thrust

Carbon tank, 300 gas Li-Po battery Fixed pitch carbon prop
Carbon tank, 600 bar gas Li-Ion battery Fixed pitch wooden prop
Carbon tank, 900 bar liquid

▪ C1: carbon 300 bar tank, Li-Po battery, Fixed pitch carbon prop
▪ C2: carbon 300 bar tank, Li-Ion battery, Fixed pitch carbon prop
▪ C3: carbon 600 bar tank, Li-Po battery, Fixed pitch carbon prop

Possible combinations = 3 x 2 x 2 = 12

32
 Examples of morphological matrix for water heating
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

33
 Common mistakes during concept generation
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Consider only one or two alternatives

▪ Fail to consider the competitor’s concept in both related and unrelated products
▪ Lack of team participation
▪ Ineffectively integrate promising partial solutions
▪ Fail to consider entire categories of solutions

34
 Concept generation for a complex system is a multi-step
process
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ Concept generation and screening should be performed for a complex system

35
 Initial screening (selection)
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ No analysis should be included at this stage since number of combinations is

too large
▪ The initial selection usually includes a set of rules (filters) to remove non-
promising concepts
o Example: one/two innovative idea at a time
o Consider technology readiness levels (TRL)

▪ Many sketching and discussion is involved

▪ Some concepts are impossible (components are incompatible)
▪ Some concepts can be removed by team discussion / intuition

36
 References
Konkuk Aerospace Design-Airworthiness Institute

▪ K. Ulrich, S. Eppinger, and M. C. Yang, Product Design and Development, 7th edition. New York, NY:
McGraw Hill, 2019.
▪ S. Gudmundsson, General Aviation Aircraft Design: Applied Methods and Procedures, 1 edition. Oxford ;
Waltham, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2013.
▪ David Eržen et al., “UNIFIER19 Final concurrent design report,” Jul. 2021.

37