Design for autonomy: An integrated product development tool for reengineering of complex products for the Brazilian space sector

Abstract

© 2016 The authors and IOS Press.This paper presents the integrated product development tool Design for Autonomy for reengineering of foreign complex products. Design for Autonomy is a new member of the Design for X family, which aims at integrating the requirements from the X area, in this case autonomy, into the conceptual phase of the product development process. This tool regards to decision making activities and their outcomes: decisions about the interrelations with the design of products. The objective of Design for Autonomy is to assure that the product can be designed, produced and operated in Brazil for a defined period of time at a minimum risk of being dependent on export bans or unavailability of components. This can be accomplished by the Design for Autonomy model comprising four steps: (1) An analysis to identify critical elements and means for achieving their technological domain; (2) Preparation of nationalization; (3) Reverse engineering of the original product in order to obtain the technological know-how; and (4) Forward engineering including the adaptation for the new environment in Brazil, stimulating improvements and added value. In a pilot project, the Design for Autonomy tool is being successfully applied to the development of a Brazilian thrust vector control system, a subsystem used for attitude control of satellite launch vehicles. The technology originates from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and is transferred to the Brazilian Institute of Aeronautics and Space (DCTA/IAE).

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