Paper number 204

COMPLEXITY BASED COST ESTIMATION MODEL FOR COMPOSITE AEROSPACE STRUCTURES.

Jayanthi Kumar, Elizabeth Kendall

Computer Systems Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,
PO Box 2476V Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
This project is funded by Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composites Structures Limited Australia.

Summary

This paper outlines a new approach to determining the effect of part complexity on the cost of manufacturing a composite part. It also describes a methodology for predicting cost based on complexity that uses the techniques of Method Time Measurement (MTM). The proposed methodology offers a relatively simple method to predict the fabrication time of a complex component. It is based on the theory of acceleration and deceleration for every movement of action; therefore, the developed model has physical interpretations. In addition this paper describes a computer-based system for estimating time/cost to manufacture a complex composite part. The cost model has been implemented in a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) with Access 97. The time estimated for hand lay-up compares very well with the industrial data. This concept of estimating fabrication time for a complex part appears to be applicable to many other composite manufacturing processes.

Keywords

computer aided design and manufacture, cost estimation, design.