OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS
Main result of the projects was the issue of the MASCOT software (SW), that is:
- open source, modular, multi-layer and with attractive GUIs;
- capable to calculate the cost of aircraft components by Analogous and Parametric approaches, both supported by a SQL database;
- capable to calculate the exact cost by Bottom-Up equipped with a rich list of materials and activities.
- capable to be interfaced with CAD, Abaqus and Isight in simple and fashion way.
- Including a specific module for the SHM equipment.
DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION
Due to Covid pandemy, communication and dissemination activities were limited to the web. Web page, on-line events and workshops, social activity by Linkedin were the tool through which the progress of Mascot was communicated and disseminated.
The exploitation activity has been mainly based on the investigation of proposing the possible strategies to Aircraft Industries of components or fuselages:
Development of personalized interfaces of the SW to the customer;
Development of new features to comply with special requests by the Company (for instance introduction of new activities or new materials in Bottom-Up, linking the confidential database of the company with the SW, etc.)
WORK PERFORMED FROM THE BEGINNING
In WP1 the management of the project along its complete duration was successful in dealing with all the communication problems related to Covid pandemy and to the review process with the TM. All the essential goals were accomplished.
In WP2 the general structure of the SW was first set up accordingly with the TM, then, at the end, the final cost software was issued.
In WP3 the SW was developed in its Analogous module (Figure 7). During the review phase, the module was then improved in some output utilities.
WP4 focused on the extension of the SW to the Parametric module (Figure 8), improved further with new probabilistic features (heteroskedasticity, log data, etc.) and appealing graphical output utilities. The supporting database was designed in the SQL format in order to guarantee the highest capability.
In WP5 the SW was extended to the Bottom-up module (Figure 9), allowing the exact estimation of the cost of materials, machines and manufacturing activities. Analogous, Parametric and Bottom-up can be combined in the same component. A wide range of materials and activites was developed at no extra cost but with a higher amount of months-person.
With W6 the SW was equipped with a powerful interface (Figure 10) to input geometrical and mechanical data directly from CAD and Abaqus. Furthermore, a special interface (Figure 11) with Isight was developed in order to allow MASCOT to be included in any general optimization process. Finally, the cost of any maintenance/repair activity can be estimated by a specially designed window inside MASCOT.
WP7 was focused on the inclusion of the SHM equipment (Figure 12). A wide range of SHM components and manufacturing activities were implemented; the effect of the extra weight on the cost was also kept into account allowing a reliable estimation of the influence of the SHM on the total cost. The incidence of the SHM system on the maintenance cost is still under progress in collaboration with the TM and it will be completed at no extra cost very shortly.
WP8 was not deemed essential by the TM and has not been developed so far in MASCOT. Nevertheless, it will be possibly developed in MASCOT once the the essential BDDAS module will be provided by the TM.
