Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

As modern engineering designs become increasingly complex, industry is continually striving for ways to streamline their design and manufacturing processes, while improving the quality of their products. Topology optimization can produce a non-intuitive optimal design from an unbiased starting point in a shorter period of time, with better performance than a component designed using traditional iterative design methods. Packaging optimization determine the most efficient layout of components within a given set of boundaries to reduce size, weight, and overall cost. *Throug partnership between researchers at Queen's University and leading industry experts at Bombardier Aerospace, the project will focus heavily on developing novel theoretical advancements via algorithms and methodologies to solve modern engineering design problems. The objective of this proposed research is to develop new design methodologies in packaging and topology optimization which can be applied to aerospace structural and system layout design in order to reduce weight and costs of aerospace structures, while satisfying certification requirements. The theoretical research completed will be applied to three real-world engineering design problems at Bombardier Aerospace. The design of aircraft seating, passenger service units (PSU's), and cockpit doors will be completed using the methodologies produced from the research for validation. Certification considerations will be thoroughly studied to ensure that all designs produced as a result of this research meet CARs (Canadian Aviation Regulations) and FARs (Federal Aviation Regulations) requirements. This project will support 2 PhD students and 5 Master's students over 5 years.