Spirit Aerosystems Global Design Challenge
Spirit AeroSystems, in collaboration with Wichita State University and the University of Manchester, initiated the Global Design Challenge (GDC) in fall 2008. A total of 8 students, two faculty members and two engineers from Spirit participated in the pilot program that was completed in 2008. The intent of the Spirit Global Design Challenge is to think innovatively and laterally to make another leap forward in Airframe design and configuration. The development and advancement of manufacturing technologies in both metallic and composite material systems now offers the possibility of previously unachievable or uneconomic configurations.
The challenge seeks to find innovative configurations and unique arrangements which offers optimization and efficiencies previously unseen.
In 2009 the GDC a third partner university was added, Universiti of Sains Malaysia. A total of 18 students, six from each university participated in this challenge.
North Carolina State University joined the program in 2010 when 21 students participated in the program.
India was added in 2011, with a total of 23 students from WSU, India, Malaysia, and North Carolina participating in the GDC. The participant universities were: Wichita State University, SDM College of Engineering and Technology, Hindustan University, Sathayabama University, Universiti Sains Malaysia, and North Carolina State University. InfoSys, India is an industry partner in this year’s challenge. The challenge was unique in that there were four teams competing, yet two teams were paired and must collaborate as well. Teams 1 and 3 designed a single aisle wing and were responsible for the layout of the whole wing, including structures, control surface configuration. They emphasized structures and design for manufacturing, not aerodynamic analysis. Teams 2 and 4 designed a single aisle fuselage and responsible for the structural layout of the fuselage, along with internal configuration, and a general systems routing configuration. They emphasized structures and design for manufacturing.
In 2012, the concept of examining the differences between global teams who travel and those complete all activities virtually was initiated. In 2012, there are a total of 48 students from WSU, India, and North Carolina participating in the GDC. The participant universities were: Wichita State University, SDM College of Engineering and Technology, Hindustan University, Sathayabama University, Universiti Sains Malaysia, SDMCET Dharwad, Park College of Engineering & Technology, Rajalakshmi Engineering College, PSG College of Technology, and North Carolina State University. InfoSys, India is again an industry partner in this year’s challenge. The 2012 challenge was unique in that it was aimed to mimic industry’s supply chain design process. There are two sets of teams; one traveling and one stationary. Each set of teams has a wing, empennage, fuselage, and forward fuselage design team that must work together to make a complete aircraft. This includes defining propulsion and ensuring matching interface locations. The teams must design all main structural components, choose advanced materials, and create a manufacturing plan with the goal of drastically increasing the efficiency.
2012 Participants:
Faculty: Dr. Charles Yang
Traveling Students: Cameron Miller, Manoj Panthi, Christopher Keeler, Armando Andres De Abreu Barriga, Chelsea Chavez, Alexander Hunt
Stationary Students: Courtney Ford, Muhammad Tahir, Alexander Foster, Arnold Durel Deffo Nde, Jonathan Dirks
2011 Participants:
Faculty: Dr. Charles Yang
Students: TJ Jayaratne, Kevin Mar, Jesse Nininger, Drew Sandlin, Jeffrey Breedlove and Paul Dees
2010 Participants:
Faculty: Dr. Charles Yang
Students: Avijit Kalra, Marcus Pyles, Allison Ronning, Abhishek Singh, Zenas Tshitundu and Yiyun Xu
2009 Participants:
Faculty: Dr. Charles Yang
Students: Adam Brungardt, Chandresh Zinzuwadia, Tashi Sherpa, Marshall Schmidt, Shawn Denning and Chun Chen Teo
2008 Participants:
Faculty: Dr. Charles Yang
Students: Callie Baker, Kevin Brauning, Andrea Chavez, and Jessica Irving