With the aerospace industry embarking on a transformative journey towards enhanced efficiency and autonomy, design innovation has never been more crucial. Immersive Engineering is playing an essential role, particularly in sectors like air freight, where rapid advancements are reshaping operational paradigms that have been a mainstay for the last forty years.
Immersive Engineering facilitates real-time iterations on complex models. It reduces the reliance on physical prototyping, enabling design teams to align around a unified product development vision. This collaborative approach streamlines the design process of specific use cases, enhancing stakeholder engagement and fostering innovation throughout the whole design cycle.
This is particularly important in a world where remote working on a global scale is here to stay. Additionally, increased stakeholder involvement and consumer demands are forcing teams to think outside of the box.
Major CAD software providers have utilized a range of 3D solutions over the years. It’s only now that companies are recognizing the true added value immersive solutions can bring.
Recently, there’s been a shift by companies to create and develop Extended Reality (XR) devices to augment user workflows.
By wearing XR headsets for certain activities, such as design reviews, ergonomic testing or model editing, designers are freed from the constraints of a physical desktop monitor. Such Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) are crucial for a range of use-cases. XR, the parent term for Augmented Reality (AR) and VR (Virtual Reality), is fully immersive, replacing a user’s vision with virtual content. This provides ergonomic and part-simulation capabilities that can make once onerous maintenance and quality inspection more convenient. VR also complement existing engineering design techniques, offering a wealth of immersion and visualisation opportunities to enhance a project’s productivity – from inception right the way through to completion.
XR combines Augmented Reality (AR) and VR capabilities, catering to the needs of engineers’ like never before. By using these tools alongside engineering software to optimise workflows, upskill and align teams, companies can bring higher-quality products to market faster. When standing at the frontier of the very latest designs in freight aircraft, this speed is vital.
The evolution of air freight design
The air freight sector has experienced substantial growth over the last decade, and the overall trend suggests a positive outlook as demand continues to rise, especially in the context of e-commerce and global trade dynamics. Data collated by analytics firm GlobalData[i] reveals that air cargo volumes have continued to show strong performance; overall tonnage in Q1 2024 increased by more than 10% compared to the same period the previous year.
This shift is particularly evident as the industry adapts to the ever increasing demand for next-day deliveries, which necessitates a robust and efficient air cargo network to meet expectations. Online shopping has solidified e-commerce as a critical driver of air freight demand. Companies are now focusing on enhancing their logistics capabilities to accommodate this, starting with the creation of air freight systems of the future.
There is also an increasing focus on sustainability. Air freight companies are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprints and implement environmentally friendly practices. Companies that adapt quickly to these changes will be better positioned to thrive in a competitive landscape. The ability to offer fast, reliable, and sustainable delivery options can be a significant differentiator in the market.
Designing air freight for the future: Natilus
Natilus is an aerospace startup founded in 2016, focusing on developing next-generation cargo aircraft. Specialising in Blended Wing Body (BWB) design, a concept that doubles revenue cargo per trip, Natilus are also focusing on using sustainable aviation fuels and cutting-edge aerodynamics, with the aim to reduce emissions by over 80%. Natilus’ strategic goals include addressing air freight sector challenges by responding to e-commerce growth and addressing pilot workforce shortages by incorporating autonomous flight capabilities.
When it comes to designing the next generation of air freight, Natilus wanted a design system that offered a range of benefits, including visualizing models at scale. The company has around 15 engineers who use Siemen’s NX; an extensive CAD software package to enable designers to deliver products faster. One challenge for Natilus is showcasing the breadth and scope of their products to customers and investors. Siemens Immersive Engineering allows them to get up close with their new products, helping clarify engineering and design changes that may not be possible on a monitor.
Immersive engineering technology offers numerous benefits for Natilus, including design visualization, collaboration enhancement, stakeholder engagement, manufacturing insights, and minimal equipment usage. By visualizing the digital twins of Natilus’ product portfolio before production, designers can identify any potential manufacturing challenges and design modifications when changes are less expensive.
Additionally, left shifting design processes gives designers greater control over product refinement, elevating overall quality and accelerating design processes. The technology is transforming how engineering teams conceptualize, communicate and iterate on complex aerospace designs.
Immersive engineering with NX CAD
Siemens has developed NX Immersive Designer, an immersive design tool that combines NX software with Sony’s XR head-mounted display system. This system allows for seamless interaction with digital models, allowing for real-time collaboration and precise 3D model manipulation. This tool is particularly beneficial for advanced product engineering and prototyping, offering a high-fidelity, three-dimensional environment.
By allowing the designer to visualise, simulate, interact with, and manipulate designs in a virtual environment, NX CAD’s cutting-edge immersive engineering solutions facilitate improved team and customer collaborations. NX can help your engineering design teams make their processes fit for the future – and Siemens Immersive Engineering will make this a reality. Fill in your details on this page to learn more.
[i] https://blog.asteelflash.com/blog/transportation-market-update-may-2024-air-sea-freight
