Cost-weight trades for modular composite structures

A design approach for airframe structures is formulated based on the concept of modularity allowing trade‐offs and optimization between cost and weight. A modular structure can be created by replacing a collection of parts which all have a unique design by a collection of parts where the same design repeats multiple times. Structures with high levels of modularity have higher weight since it is harder to design a weight‐efficient structure when the amount of design options is limited, but this weight increase might be worth the associated decrease in manufacturing cost. In modular design, cost reductions are achieved through learning curve effects and through reduction of the non‐recurring cost, for example, due to lower tooling costs. Based on dynamic programming, an approach to determine the optimum number of repeating designs was determined and applied to a composite fuselage structure. Two examples are given where the cost‐weight efficiency at different modularity levels is assessed for a composite airframe: the stringers and the frames in a fuselage. The corresponding cost‐weight diagrams indicated that the modularity concept provides a useful methodology for designing more cost‐ weight efficient structures. In both cases it was possible to replace a large amount of designs and increase the level of modularity of the structure, yielding significant reductions in recurring and non‐recurring manufacturing costs while keeping the associated weight increase of the structure to a minimum.