Design-oriented Geometry and Analysis Framework Supporting Multi-fidelity, Multidisciplinary Aerospace System Synthesis

The Engineering Sketch Pad (ESP) is a computerized system for developing coupled multi-fidelity and multidisciplinary models to be used in the analysis and design of complex configurations such as aircraft.  ESP is a feature-based solid-modeling system that has the rich attribution needed to couple the various models.  Unlike other modeling systems, ESP has been analytically differentiated in order to provide the sensitivity of the configurations with respect to any user-defined design parameter, making it ideally suited for use in gradient-based optimization systems.  ESP is distributed along with the Computational Aircraft Prototype Syntheses (CAPS) system through which ESP's models can be directly coupled to discipline-specific analysis and design tools of the user's choice. Even though ESP/CAPS has been developed over the last decade as an open-source university-centered research tool, it now enjoys wide-spread use, both within the Air Force Research Labs and in many other U.S. government labs, industry, and universities.  The objective of this proposal is to transition ESP/CAPS from a university-centered research tool into a commercial-grade product. This will be done through three major activities.  First, a commercial-grade website will be constructed for program distribution (both as open source and compiled for all major architectures), training (including frequently-ask-question-videos and through recorded week-long annual training sessions), tracking for bugs and feature requests, and a general user forum through which users can share models and modeling techniques.  Second, several new technologies will be added to ESP, such as the ability to represent time-varying geometries, general advanced surface sculpting techniques, a method to generate fillet-like transition surfaces that are aerodynamically tailored, and tools and techniques for optimized subsystem placement in an optimized enclosure.  And third, best-practices will be developed, demonstrated, and documented for managing large complex models. The proposed work will be conducted by the core ESP/CAPS development team, using the same best-practice software management techniques as has been employed since ESP's inception.  The core team will continue to assist users with the development and debugging of models, both with unrestricted models and with models that are ITAR-restricted.