Value driven design - An initial study applied to novel aerospace components in rolls-royce plc

Abstract

Aero-engine customers today are demanding high quality, low cost products to meet their strict requirements. This consequently identifies cost as an important design parameter throughout the development cycle of the product. This paper describes possible unit cost modelling approaches and introduces the idea of 'value driven design' and presents opportunities to conduct multi-disciplinary optimisation for aero-engine designs. This research project aims to develop the concept of designing future generation gas turbines to not only meet performance targets but also to meet cost targets. The research encompasses feasibility studies to explore unit cost modelling strategies in the Cost Engineering group at Rolls-Royce plc, which include cost modelling methodologies for approaching novel components, when historical data does not exist, and whole engine system design. © copyright 2008 Rolls-Royce plc. © 2008 Springer-Verlag London Limited.