Knowledge-Based Flight Control System Integration in RAPID

Sammanfattning: This thesis work presents a parametrized integration of the flight control system within RAPID by means of the automation in CATIA V5, using Knowledge Pattern. Nowadays aircraft’s design and development processes are not only time-consuming but also incur high economic cost. In addition, system integration is highly a multi-disciplinary design process which often involves a large number of different discipline teams working at the same time and space. The main objective of this thesis is to investigate how CAD (Computer Aided Design) software can be used in the early design stages to define the flight control system integration. The purpose of this work to improve the functionality of an in house produced aircraft conceptual design tool carried out at the Division of Fluid and Mechatronic Systems, Linköping University. The work consists of preliminary integration of the RAPID flight control system and the hydraulics associated to it. By defining several reusable templates, the automatic definition of a flight control system within the RAPID aircraft has been achieved. Moreover it is a parametrical model which allows the user to modify a high number of features as desired to enhance the design process. For this, a user interface in Microsoft Excel connected to CATIA has also been attained.