DFX

Designing an aircraft can be daunting, yes. But developing, testing and producing it in a way that allows rapid reusability, high availability and reliability as well as easy maintainability? That is quite a challenge. Designing for X (replace X with your favorite word in “-ty”) is a tenet of aerospace design.

Development, Testing and Certification

It goes without saying that not all designs will make it prototypes, and not all prototypes will make it certification and then production. Product development in the aerospace industry is truly daunting. It takes billions to bring a clean sheet aircraft design into production. The level of risk is akin to the pharmaceutical industry, which incidentally requires billions of dollars to bring a new medicine to market. Finances aside, there need to be steps to ensure that the product, in this case an aircraft, is safe to fly. This is where development, testing and certification come in. In Canada, the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) dictate certification, and in the United States, the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) do the same. They have very similar requirements and knowing them as well as the certification process is a game-changing advantage for any aerospace company.

Manufacturing

You have a certified product. Great. Now what? Well, producibility is a key point. Having the capacity, skill, machinery, tooling and processes to bring each individual component, on time, to the Final Assembly Line (FAL) is yet another competitive advantage. With methods from manufacturing philosophies such as the Toyota Production System (TPS), aerospace companies can ensure that orders which have been placed years in advance are delivered on schedule and on budget.

Safety and Quality

In aerospace, tolerances are tight. So how is it possible to get a repeatable, reliable process which produces components which consistently meet your tolerances? There are many methods, such as Lean Six Sigma, which allow Key Process Characteristics to be monitored statistically to ensure that process drift is captured before non-conformities are introduced. And if non-conformities are produced? Well, systems must be implemented to ensure that non-conforming products are dispositioned correctly, generally through a Material Review Board (MRB). Only components meeting the highest standards are deemed acceptable to be assembled into aircraft which will remain safe for operation. The Quality Management System (QMS) and Safety Management System (SMS) of aerospace companies are truly state-of-the-art.

Continued Airworthiness

The aircraft was designed, built, received its type certificate and has now been flying for several years. To maintain Continued Airworthiness, an aircraft must meet specific maintenance guidelines to be deemed airworthy and safe. FAA- or TCCA-approved Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul facilities are the most effective way of maintaining aircraft. They have access to all technical publications, advisory documents, service bulletins, airworthiness directives, and others, and are able to provide the most comprehensive maintenance service.