Minutes
(Jan 00 Meeting)

Minutes of the AIAA Design Engineering Committee Meeting

 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Conference
Reno, Nevada
January 12(Tues) - 13(Wed), 2000

Committee Chair :   Simms, Robert
Treasurer:                  Dauwalter, Charles
Meeting Secretary:  Firstbrook, George 

Attendees: 

Vladimir Balabanov Charles Dauwalter Robert Simms
James Balou George Firstbrook Paul Trimarchi
William Berrios Dorothea Fitzsimmons Doug Young

Group Action items:
Note: Actions and names are underlined in the minutes to facilitate quick scanning by members. Please try to complete prior to upcoming meetings.

  1. All are to review the list of 10 CPSRS groups and determine where you may contribute if possible
  2. SC Leads to summarize SC meeting minutes and submit to Bob Simms for inclusion onto the DETC web ASAP
  3. Each member solicit nominations for new DETC members through your local AIAA section ,company / agency and academia contacts.
  4. All review and update their SC's charter and make changes as needed by coordinating inputs with SC leads by SDM 2000.
  5. All SC's are requested to develop and track a set of progress metrics to be included in the year end report.
  6. All are to identify items and their cost that potentially could be funded by the AIAA , coordinate with SC and submit by SDM 2000
  7. All to provide Bob Simms with Sr. Managers mailing list who should receive solicitation letters for new members and Design engineering Award. Due by 3/1/2000
  8. Each member of the DETC bring a paragraph to the SDM 2000 for the year end article

Next Near Term Meetings (2000)
April 4 - 5        SDM 2000                           Conference in Atlanta
Sept 20 - 21     SPACE 2000                        Conference in Long Beach
July 13 -16     Aerospace Architecture     WG (France)

 

Date:  Tuesday(AM), January 11, 2000
Fred Koflosky and Elanor Aldrich joined us to talk about the tentative schedule for SPACE 2000. The conference is to be held in Long Beach on Sept 19-21. The technical program will be divided up into 8 tracks: Military Space, Knowledge , Space Science and Robotics, Human Space and Exploration, Commercial Business, Launch Vehicles, Orbital Systems and Operations, Enabling Technologies and Strategic Planning. The DETC is expected to provide 1 or 2 sessions under the "Enabling Technologies" track which is being headed up by Christine Anderson of AFRL. The last date for abstract submittal is listed as Jan 21st but Fred will accept until Feb 25th. Titles however are due to Fred by Feb 4th. Further discussions were had on Wednesday following the Space 2000 planning meeting that was attended by Bob and Doug. See Below
Larry Pinson also joined us to announce his retirement and to thank the DETC for their efforts in support of the AIAA and he encouraged increased liaison activities with other TC's. Larry is on the Board of Directors for the AIAA and has worked for MRJ Technologies. He will be succeeded by Charlie Saff.
The AIAA has undertaken a vital mission to assemble and manage a collection of space standards for the international space community called the "Collection of Preferred Space-Related Standards "(CPSRS). John Velman from Hughes Space and Communications presented an overview of CPSRS of which he is on the executive council and handed out brochures. The idea originated in a 1987 workshop with ISO and AIAA was encouraged to become the oversight of this effort since AIAA is the secretariat for the Space Systems and Operations Sub-committee of the ISO committee for Aircraft and Space Vehicles. But AIAA is not alone in this effort. The Information Handling Service (I-H-S) will serve as the one stop shopping area for the CPSRS. The final product scheduled for Spring of 2001 will be available via the Internet and will include a search engine by various parameters and also will provide other features such as abstracts, cross-indexing, etc. Doug Young suggested we consider a link between the Design Guide web page and CPSRS in some fashion.
        There already is no shortage of standards. Nearly 20,000 U.S. and international standards already exist for aviation and space applications developed by ISO, the Feds, AIAA, SAE, ANSI, ASTM etc. The problem is that a large portion of the standards are 20 to 30 years old, are no longer appropriate in many areas and only 50% apply specifically to Space. John spoke from some famous quotes; "The nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from, the worst thing is choosing the wrong one" and "The worst thing than having no standard at all is having the wrong one." The CPSRS is an attempt to fix both problems. AIAA has already trimmed the list of standards from 20K to 10K which need to be reviewed. The reviews are conducted by groups of specialists using groupware via the Internet to eliminate the need for travel. The reviews are aimed at selecting the standards that are appropriate, provide application specific limitations, identify gaps and bring them to the attention of standard developers and publish a single list of these preferred standards. The review process will be broken down into the following categories.
  1. Document Configuration and Management
  2. Systems Engineering
  3. Computer Systems and Information Systems
  4. Human factors and health
  5. Electrical systems, avionics, optics and control systems
  6. Structures, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, mechanical systems, propulsion and aerodynamics
  7. Materials, Process and Parts
  8. System test and analysis, modeling and evaluation
  9. Safety, quality, reliability and maintainability
  10. Operations command control, telemetry and data acquisition systems

Each DETC member is encouraged to review the list and determine where one may be able to contribute. The contacts for this effort are:
Steve Schultz Tammy Wiser
Project Mgr - CPSRS Standards Engineer
703/264-7645 703/264-7639
steves@aiaa.org tammywiser@aiaa.org
Bob Simms requested that each SC lead provide him and the DETC meeting secretary with their SC minutes. These minutes may be posted onto the DETC web site to stimulate potential liaisons with other TC's.
We reviewed the DETC Organizational chart. We currently have 23 people consisting of 2 academic, 13 industry and 8 government. The AIAA allows a total of 35 members (not including young members and international members who comprise 15% of all AIAA members). The DETC goal is to achieve 16 industry, 11 government and 8 academic by 2003. We received only 2 nominations this year from AIAA and Bob had indicated that only one was a possibility. The other had interests in another TC. Doug requested that each member solicit for nominations through ones own local AIAA section. Another method for soliciting members was to generate a DETC newsletter like the Ground Testing TC newsletter soliciting for new members which could be available for the SDM 2000. Bob Dauwalter suggested creating a brochure similar to the one that the Atmospheric Environmental Testing TC has that was available in the conference registration area. Another method discussed was by mailing lists. Hence, each member is to provide Bob Simms with Sr. Manager's mailing list who should receive solicitation letters for new members and the Design Engineering Award. This list is due to Bob by 3/1/2000.
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) workshop summary was presented. The workshop discussed the crisis in Aeronautical R&D funding and AIAA has stressed the seriousness of the problem as the US market share of commercial transport carriers has declined from a 70% to a 55% market share. The Airbus share of the large commercial market is steadily growing and the small regional jet demand is already being met by Canada and Brazil. Recommendations for AIAA actions were discussed at the workshop and included public awareness campaigns including TV ads, congressional visit thrusts and web site features. By its charter and its government oversight AIAA is not allowed to lobby congress. The recommendations were to be finalized by TAC and presented to AIAA by SDM 2000.
        Along this same topic, congressional Visit day is March 15 and 16. It's a two-day workshop where AIAA teams up people to talk with various Congressional Representatives. This year's emphasis is regarding this crisis in Aeronautical R&D funding. Dick Culpepper, the Technical Advisory Committee lead spoke regarding this topic and had indicated that AFRL and NASA has lost a combined $115M in R&D this year and next year seems even more bleak. The government's philosophy seems to be to let industry pay for the R&D using their own profits and in addition some of the High Speed Commercial Transport funding has gone to the Space Station. This all has been compounded by lost interest in the profession. He question was that if this keeps up " will we be buying fighter AC from Airbus China in the future? "
        It was not known if Professor Solomon would attend this year. George Firstbrook will act as the East Coast facilitator in this effort and will look to enlist participants for this workshop.
        Other TAC workshop issues included requests to the new AIAA web master. TC's are requesting video-conferencing, easy loading templates and increased storage space for their web sites. Another topic of interest for the TC included a pilot-funding program which is being finalized. The program would have AIAA funding about $59K ($1,000 per TC) towards TC initiatives. The funds would have to be approved by TAC and could include such things as speaker expenses, student participation costs, TC Newsletters, educational brochures, kits etc. TAC is generating a list of non-approved items. In light of this, each member should generate a list of items and their cost that potentially could be funded by the $1K and coordinate this with your SC. This list is needed by SDM 2000.
        Improvements to the reports that each TC provides to TAC was discussed. The DETC suggested that these reports may also include problem areas like membership nominations from AIAA. Other areas needing improvement was the liaison between the TC's. All TC's agreed to improve liaison with increased face to face interactions which can be held during these conferences. Another method suggested was quarterly telecons.
A reminder for all members regarding the year end letters. If you would prefer to have a letter of encouragement and thanks sent to your senior management please forward the information you would like to see in the letter along with the mailing address of those who are to receive it.
The DETC Mission and Charter was reviewed. Each SC must review its charter and get inputs to Bob Simms by SDM 2000. Each SC shall also develop a set of metrics that can be tracked and presented at the end of the year. These metrics may include things such as number of papers presented, membership status, design guides sold etc.
Treasurer reported that there is now $606.73 in the treasury. A question arose to whether the treasury was still needed in light of the potential AIAA funding. No decision was made.
The special presentation was given by James Baloun. Jim who now works for NASA Ames but was hired into the Douglas Aircraft Corporation on the C-17 program. His interests were formulated there are in the area of airframe structural design and producibility. He currently is involved in AC modifications for Science Payloads and presented interesting examples of his work such as the SOPHIA InfraRed astronomical telescope.
Doug Young presented the Design Engineering Award Status. This year there were 4 nominations:
T-45 Stabilator Team
Gantry Applied Drilling Process
Airborne Laser Advanced Target Concept
Low Observable design team

       Each SC lead received a package, reviewed and selected a winner. The result was tallied and the Gantry drilling was selected for several reasons. Their effort was much more than the title indicated. That team was responsible for design of the equipment also to implement the process change. Doug will send this to the AIAA. It was also recommended that Doug send letters to the losing nominees telling them why they lost and how to improve for the next submittal.
        On the topic of awards, nominations for the Design Engineering Award for 2001 are due into AIAA by October 15th. Bob Simms will draft a letter that can be sent to Sr. Engineering managers within our own companies soliciting nominations for the Award and new members. The letter would include previous winners. As previously mentioned Bob has requested that each member provide him with a Sr. manager mailing list by March 1st. Bob will present these draft letters at the SDM 2000.

Date:  Tuesday(PM), January 11, 2000
Prior to the Sub Committee meetings Doug Presented the long range plan (5 yr.). He will add the call for papers to the plan. The call for papers for each conference is typically required about 4 meetings prior to the conference. On another note the DETC received a thank you letter from Christine Anderson of the AFRL for our participation at the Albuquerque Conference on Space Technologies which reached 1200 participants.
Following the SC meetings the DETC participated in a liaison meeting with the Systems Engineering TC (SETC). William Shields is the SETC liaison contact. It was a general discussion of the perceptions both Systems engineers and design engineers have of each other and how to improve the relationship and communication between them. One apparent method is for the SETC to provide input to the introductory section of the Aerospace Design Guide where the design engineering function is described.


Wednesday(AM), January 12th, 2000
Doug and Bob reported on the Space 200 planning meeting they attended Tuesday. The host of this conference (Boeing) set an attendance goal of 2000. It was reported that 50% of the papers were received. The DETC plans on holding 2 of 2 hour sessions. One will be a panel session like Space 99 and the other will be a paper session. The paper sessions will be focused around the enabling technologies theme with a tentative title of "Structural Design Innovations for Reusable Space Vehicles". The panel session focus will be more general and will be tentatively titled "Design challenges for emerging Space systems".
Tim Hintz will host the SDM 2000 meeting. The DETC Paper session is being held Monday at 9:30. The DETC meeting will be held Tuesday all day and Wednesday morning. Vladimir Balabanov reported on the liaison with the MDO TC which is interested in a joint meeting with the DETC. A tentative meeting that Vladimir will coordinate with the MDO TC will take place on Monday evening April 3rd. Dorothea Fitzsimmons reported on the paper judging criteria form that was tested at one of the Albuquerque paper sessions with Bob and George. The SDM 2000 DETC paper session will be judged by this same criteria and the presenter of the best paper will receive an Aerospace Design Engineers Guide. It was suggested that we use the same call for papers for the SDM 2001. That is "Papers on innovative or otherwise remarkable designs or concepts resulting in a product that efficiently satisfied its need or requirement are desired".
Jim Baloun attended the planning meeting for RENO 2001 on Jan 8th thru 11th. The call for papers is out and abstracts are due by May 12th with letters of acceptance mailed out on July 7th. The Design Education SC is considering repeating the Design Engineer Survey in some modified fashion and presenting these results at a paper session for this Conference. Their action item is to have an abstract / plan for this effort to be submitted by the May deadline.


Sub Committee Report Short Summary

Design Guide
4th edition ; 918 sold and 960 remaining
Bob and Doug commented on better AIAA participation in Guide and overall
AIAA's Megan Scheidt will provide quarterly sales status.
Dorothea is keeping the required revisions list and provided a composites section for review and incorporation into the 5th edition.
A reprinting of the 4th would include a cover change and some minor changes.
Bob will identify which TC's may be appropriate for review of each chapter so that a liaison meeting could be set up with them similar to the SETC liaison meeting we had.

Design Integration
Suggested that each member of the DETC bring a paragraph to the SDM for the year-end article.
The DI discussed annual metrics and concluded that # papers, # sessions co-sponsored, year-end article completion and # SC members present could be potential metrics.
Another action item is for the DI to assess what long-range task they could undertake that would promote Design Engineering.
Also DISC will evaluate the "Definition of the good design Engineer" on the web page, in the Design Guide and Handouts and update where necessary.


Design Education
Jim gave a walk on presentation of the results of their survey at one of the paper sessions.
Bob received a list of professors on the Academics Affairs TC from Jim that the DGSC can solicit for additional sales of the Design Guide.
DESC will stay in contact with the Academics Affairs TC for a potential liaison at RENO 2001.
The DESC will present at SDM 2000 a plan for updating the survey and presenting the results at the next paper session in RENO 2001.

The meeting was adjourned by Bob Simms

Minutes dutifully submitted, George Firstbrook

Attachments: (Italicized files can be viewed by Adobe Acrobat Reader) getacro.gif (712 bytes)
Design Guide:    Charles Dauwalter