Aircraft design augmented by a man-computer graphic system

Abstract

A status report is presented on one facet of a continuing research and development program at the Lockheed Georgia Research Laboratory in the application of man-computer graphic systems to the design and manufacture of aircraft. The program described is one of the initial steps contributing to the eventual evolution of a computercentric engineering/manufacturing/management system. It is being developed as a prototype covering the aircraft preliminary design and performance estimation process. This prototype will enable a creative design engineer to evolve and refine an aircraft configuration rapidly, by graphically and numerically describing aircraft components to a computer, using interactive, on-line, graphic display devices and unique, generalized graphic programs, by directing the computer through analyses of the configuration or components, and by reviewing directly on the computerdriven display the results of the analysis for approval or modification. A time compression of the preliminary design process of perhaps 10-to-l is one of the goals of this system. The system is discussed in general, and the graphic and analytical routines are described in some detail. Photographs show the graphic terminals being used in the execution of key steps in the preliminary design process.