CAD-Based Parametric Cross-Section Designer for Gas Turbine Engine MDO Applications

Because gas turbine engines are among the most complicated mechanical assemblies produced to date, there is an increasing need for computer-aided modeling programs that facilitate the incorporation of Multi-Disciplinary Optimization at the conceptual design stage. Here we report the development of Cross-Section Designer, a software tool for manipulating gas turbine engine geometry using the UGS NX CAD system [1]. Cross-Section Designer provides the user with an editable version of the engine gaspath based on output from a cycle specification program in the form of geometric and thermodynamic parameters. The system was designed to accommodate multiple parameterizations, and allows users to manipulate the geometry according to various different design schemes that best fit the design intent. The multiple-parameterization modeling methods described in this paper can be extended to the design of any system, providing real cost savings via design time reduction.