Systems Engineering for Aerospace: A Practical Approach

development.

Chapter 1

Introduction

Abstract

This chapter gives a brief overview of systems engineering (SE) and system thinking, including definitions, concepts and principles, as applied to aerospace engineering. Systems engineering can be viewed as a collective effort employing a large group of engineering techniques that directly transform the objective world through use of system thinking, an approach that is needed now more than ever due to the recent rapid development of highly complex systems and the continuous expansion of production scales. As discussed in this chapter, systems engineering is both an emerging science that studies systems and an engineering technique for designing and building complex products. The scope of SE research has expanded widely from traditional engineering fields into social, technological, and economic fields. The SE approach has achieved remarkable results in many areas, including airplane design and development, major construction projects, the automobile industry, large shipping business operations, natural resource utilization, environmental protection, economic system reforms and worldwide scientific research projects.

The SE processes to be applied by an integrated product team (IPT) are also discussed, along with the specific responsibilities for the technical system effort, including contracted or subcontracted system tasks, which also include the technical processes and procedures to be applied to these tasks.

Keywords

Systems engineering; System thinking; System control; System analysis; Integrated product team; IPT

Chapter Outline

1.1Systems Engineering Definitions

1.1.1Systems Engineering: A Team Approach

1.1.2Systems Engineering Requires System Thinking

1.1.3Systems Engineering Is an Emerging Science

1.1.4Systems Engineering Is a Multidisciplinary Approach

1.1.5Systems Engineering Approach Has Achieved Global Recognition

1.2Systems Engineering Processes

1.2.1Systems Engineering Process Planning

1.2.2System Requirements Analysis

1.2.3Functional Analysis/Allocation

1.2.4System Synthesis

1.2.5System Analysis

1.2.6System Control

1.3Summary

1.1 Systems Engineering Definitions

1.1.1 Systems Engineering: A Team Approach

Systems engineering (SE) is a multidisciplinary approach to product lifecycle realization. SE allows one to better understand each product as a whole and to improve the planning, design/development, manufacturing, and maintenance processes. Organizations use SE to model and analyze the interactions, needs, subsystems, constraints, and interactions among system components and to optimize and trade off important decisions throughout the product lifecycle (Fig. 1.1.1). Systems engineers use a variety of modeling techniques and tools to capture, organize, prioritize, deliver, and manage system information throughout an entire product lifecycle. SE attempts to capture and prioritize customer requirements at the front end and then—using functional modeling, object-oriented methods, status charts, etc.—to make alternative assessments, down to the functional and physical divisions of the product (Fig. 1.1.2).

Fig. 1.1.1 Example of systems engineering key relationships.

Fig. 1.1.2 Systems engineering captures physical division of the product.

1.1.2 Systems Engineering Requires System Thinking

Systems engineering can be viewed as a collective effort incorporating a large group of engineering techniques that directly transforms the objective world using system thinking. A system is composed of several key components that are related to each other and that interact with each other. People's understanding of a system, that is, their thinking about a system, comes from social practices. SE practices consist of thinking in a systematic way and synthesizing the various systems of things in the long term. The systems thinking approach has been around for a long time, but the actual application of systems engineering, considering all subsystems as an integrated whole, has only recently come into play. With recent rapid and complex product development and continuous expansion of production scales, an urgent need exists to develop a technology that can effectively organize and manage the planning, analysis, design, manufacture, testing, and use of complex systems—namely, systems engineering.

1.1.3 Systems Engineering Is an Emerging Science

SE is an emerging science that studies systems and is an engineering technique for designing and building a complex product. Building a new complex product requires the use of quantitative analysis (including modeling, simulation, and optimization methods) or quantitative/qualitative analysis of a combination of methods, along with system analysis and system design of the product. The scope of SE research has been expanded from the traditional field of engineering to the social, technological, and economic fields, including scientific, enterprise, military, economic, social, agricultural, administration, and legal systems engineering. Moreover, each aspect of our daily lives can be viewed as a system, and systems engineering approaches can be used to better integrate these aspects, improving social productivity and enhancing the quality of our lives.

1.1.4 Systems Engineering Is a Multidisciplinary Approach

SE is a multidisciplinary approach to planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling production, construction, transportation, storage, communications, commerce, scientific research, and other human activities. In general SE, starting with the overall concept of a system, studies the various subsystems/components, analyzes the relationship between various functions, and uses mathematical methods to find the best solution to build the overall system to achieve the best final results.

1.1.5 Systems Engineering Approach Has Achieved Global Recognition

The SE approach has achieved remarkable results in diverse fields, such as airplane development, major construction projects, the automobile industry, large shipping business operations, natural resource utilization, environmental protection, economic system reform, and many scientific research projects worldwide. SE plays an important role and it is widely recognized and accepted by many global leaders and companies.

1.2 Systems Engineering Processes

This section explains the SE processes to be applied by an integrated product team (IPT) and assigns specific responsibilities for the technical system effort, including contracted or subcontracted system tasks. The tasks also include the technical processes and procedures to be applied to these tasks. These processes and/or procedures are developed as part of the IPT responsibilities, with the need dates and development schedule specified and refined as the program progresses. Fig. 1.2.1 shows an example of an SE process.

Fig. 1.2.1 Systems engineering process example.

1.2.1 Systems Engineering Process Planning

Planning for the key SE process deliverables should include 3P: People, Products, and Processes. The following items must be considered:

1.Major products: include major specification and product baseline development and control

2.Systems engineering process inputs: include major requirements documents and resolution instructions for conflicting requirements

3.Objectives: include cost, schedule, and key performance objectives

4.Work breakdown structure (WBS): describe how and when the technical work breakdown structure will be developed, to include development and tracking tool sets usage

5.Subcontracted efforts: describe the integration of contracted and subcontracted technical efforts

6.Processes: describe the use of established technical processes and standards on the project

7.Process development: describe processes to be developed as part of the project, together with the schedule for their development

8.Constraints: list any significant constraints on the technical effort

1.2.2 System Requirements Analysis

System requirements analysis includes the methods, procedures, and tools used to analyze product system requirements, including any specific tools used to capture and trace system requirements.

1.2.3 Functional Analysis/Allocation

Functional analysis/allocation involves the methods and tools used to analyze the product system requirements and allocate them to the product system component functional requirements.

1.2.4 System Synthesis

System synthesis focuses on the methods and tools used to analyze the functional requirements and allocate those requirements to a physical product subsystem and/or system component.

1.2.5 System Analysis

System analysis refers to all the processes and procedures to be used for formal and informal trade studies including system analysis, cost-benefit effectiveness analyses, and/or strength, weakness, opportunity, threat (SWOT) analysis. The risk mitigation approach can also be introduced here.

1.2.6 System Control

System control focuses on the control strategies needed, recommended as follows:

1.Communication management

2.Configuration management

3.Data management

4.Performance management and measurement

5.Quality assurance and quality control

6.Interface management

7.Integrated schedule development, tracking, and control

8.Formal technical reviews

9.Informal technical reviews and technical interchanges

10.Partner, contractor, and supplier management

11.System requirements change control.

1.3 Summary

This chapter has provided a brief overview of SE and system thinking, including definitions, concepts, and principles, as applied to aerospace engineering. SE can be viewed as a collective effort employing a large group of engineering techniques that directly transform the objective world through use of system thinking, an approach that is needed now more than ever due to the recent rapid development of highly complex systems and the continuous expansion of production scales.

As discussed, SE is both an emerging science that studies systems and an engineering technique for designing and building complex products. The SE approach has achieved remarkable results in many areas, including airplane design and development, major construction projects, the automobile industry, large shipping business operations, natural resource utilization, environmental protection, economic system reforms and worldwide scientific research projects. The scope of SE research has expanded widely from traditional engineering fields into social, technological, and economic fields.

The SE processes to be applied by an IPT were discussed, along with the specific responsibilities for the technical system effort, including contracted or subcontracted system tasks, which also include the technical processes and procedures to be applied to these tasks. These processes and/or procedures are developed as part of the IPT responsibilities, with the need dates and development schedule specified and refined as the program progresses. Process planning, systems requirements analysis, functional analysis/allocation, system synthesis, system analysis, and system control are all part of the SE process.

Chapter 2

Systems engineering and integration

Abstract

The Integrated Master Plan (IMP) and the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) can provide significant assistance in planning and managing large, complex programs. The IMP is an event-driven plan that documents major accomplishments needed to complete a program and attaches each accomplishment to an important program milestone. It is a mutual agreement between the customers and a contractor on what defines the event-driven program, whereas the IMS defines sequential events and important decision points to evaluate program progress and performance. Integration management (IM) integrates all the knowledge areas in a program and ties the plan together into a seamless activity; it coordinates the various processes and execution activities within a program. Key integration elements covered in the chapter are program scope management, time management, cost management, quality management, human resources management, communication management, risk management, procurement management, and