74th International Conference on Mass Properties Engineering

Training Program

74th SAWE International Conference
on Mass Properties Engineering
May 18-21, 2015
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Alexandria, Virginia, USA

 

Jerry Pierson
Vice President – Training
L-3 Communications
Tapan Mazumdar
Conference Training Coordinator
Naval Sea Systems Command
Errol R. Oguzhan
Deputy VP – On-Site Training
Lockheed Martin

As the Society of Allied Weight Engineers Training committee prepares to welcome you to the 74th Annual International Conference on Mass Properties in Alexandria, Virginia, we would like to present our preliminary slate of classes for your professional development. These classes are offered to expand your expertise as a Mass Properties Engineer (MPE), and we hope that many of you will register for classes in fields outside of your area of expertise or industry. We hope that after taking these classes you will emerge more knowledgeable and learn how special the discipline of weight engineering is across the multiple industries. This year, the Training Program will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel from May 16th through May 20th. The SAWE has a long proven track record of delivering outstanding training and we hope you will enjoy it with us here in Alexandria.

 

Day Date Class Title
Saturday 5/16 SAWE RP-7: Mass Properties Management and Control of Military Aircraft
Ship Inclining
Sunday 5/17 Aircraft Weight Estimating and SAWE RP-8: Weight and Balance Reporting Forms for Aircraft
Mass Properties Measurement
Principles of Weight Management and Weight Estimating Methods for the Offshore Oil Industry
Monday 5/18 Aircraft Weight and Balance
 - Day One
Tuesday 5/19 Aircraft Weight and Balance
 - Day Two
Wednesday 5/20 Advanced Mass Properties Measurement
Automated Weight and Balance System (AWBS) Version 10 

 

SAWE RP-7: Mass Properties Management and Control of Military Aircraft
Paul Kachurak, Naval Air Systems Command

This full-day class will familiarize students with effective control of the weight and other mass properties of an aircraft. The class will also expose students to other considerations associated with mass properties management and control described in SAWE RP-07. The primary objective will be to acquaint participants with the major considerations for successful weight control during the development phases of a program, to include: concept exploration, demonstration, validation, and full-scale development. These major elements incorporate planning, organizing, staffing, subcontractor control, requirements allocation, risk reduction, data collection, analysis, tracking, controlling, weight reduction programs, validation, verification, and test support.

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Aircraft Weight Estimating and use of SAWE RP-8: Weight and Balance Reporting Forms for Military Aircraft
Paul Kachurak, Naval Air Systems Command

The objectives of this one-day course are to provide an overview of weight estimating methods and the weight estimating process for aircraft and to provide insight into the weight and balance reporting formats and requirements of SAWE Recommended Practice 8. Included will be descriptions of the many types of aircraft estimating methods, together with their applicability and limitations. Many other weight estimating considerations also will be addressed, including impacts of new technologies, estimating prototypes and derivatives, sources of weight data and estimating methods, and dealing with estimating uncertainty. Estimating aircraft center of gravity location and moments of inertia will be briefly discussed. The portion of the course devoted to RP-08 will address the three major parts contained therein. The basic RP-08 concept of allocation by function will be explained, and the important RP-08 allocation instructions will be covered. The requirements for structural increments and design information also will be addressed, along with why inclusion of those data is so important to weight estimating and weight control. 

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Principles of Weight Management and Weight Estimating Methods for the Offshore Oil Industry
Andy Schuster, Honorary Fellow

Weight Management is a critical element of design, construction, and operation of an offshore oil system. Keeping the weight and center of gravity within predefined limits can be challenging. However, application of proven principles and tools will result in achieving these goals.

The principles involved in weight management for the offshore oil industry will be presented and explained. The student will develop an understanding of technical topics such as development of preliminary and detailed weight estimates, application of weight contingencies and allowances to cover ‘known unknowns,’ control of changes to designs, and weight saving techniques. The student will develop an appreciation of how weight information is used by other project team members such as cost control, scheduling, transport and lift contractors, and others. Also, the student will learn about some of the techniques that can be used to successfully manage the weight.

A key to Weight Management is the initial weight estimate. Therefore, an overview of weight estimating methods as defined in SAWE RP-14 and applied to the offshore industry is included. For example the application of proven methods - based on historical weight data and experience - is employed to determine preliminary weights for offshore structures.

This training course will highlight the importance of weight management in the oil industry, present several of the methods typically used to create preliminary estimates of weight and center of gravity and walk through an example of estimating preliminary weight and CG data for a floating offshore platform. After registration, please keep an eye out for an e-mail from the instructor. He will likely be sending out a list of reading material to review before the class.

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Aircraft Weight & Balance Course
Tom Oole, SAWE Honorary Fellow, United States Air Force - Retired

This two-day course assumes a basic knowledge of weight and balance. The class will demonstrate and teach proper procedures for weighing and completing forms for military aircraft. The intent of this class is to provide the student with an understanding of the weight and balance system within the United States Air Force and “pitfalls” involved in weighing aircraft. Students should bring basic calculators, paper, and pens/pencils for use in examples and exercises. Students should also dress appropriately for the trip to the aircraft hangar. Wear rubber-soled, closed-toed shoes. 

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Automated Weight and Balance System (AWBS) Software Training
Harold Smoot, SAWE Member, Lockheed Martin

This one-day class will present the features of the Automated Weight and Balance Software in a hands-on training class. The class will begin with a discussion of the terms and developmental history of AWBS, minimum system requirements, and software installation. The basic approach of the class is to give computer demonstrations followed by student exercises that will provide the students with a good understanding of AWBS Version 10.0 features. Students will receive a complete overview of the software features to support weight control programs for military aircraft. The instructor will also allow time to address specific AWBS needs and questions of the students. Students are required to bring their laptop computer. A version of AWBS 10.0 will be required for the class. 

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Measurement of Mass Properties
Jerry Pierson, SAWE Honorary Fellow, L-3 Communications - Platform Integration Division

This class is a basic class which teaches measurement of weight, center-of-gravity, and moments of inertia (MOI). Effects of gravity variation due to latitude and altitude will be explained. This class will demonstrate and teach moment of inertia measuring techniques typically used for missiles and control surfaces. The Mass Properties Measurement class will contain both a classroom presentation and a laboratory session. The class will consist of approximately three hours of lecture and five hours of hands-on laboratory session with participants making mass properties measurements.

The classroom discussion will include mass definition and mass measurement techniques. Force measurement methods such as spring scales, load cells, strain gauges, and rebalance technology will be discussed. The MOI definition and its relationship to torque and angular acceleration and measurement techniques will be included. The definition of Product of Inertia (POI) will be discussed and how it relates to Principle Axes definition, measurement, and calculation techniques. Laboratory exercises will include mass measurement, center- of-gravity measurement, MOI measurement using a torsion rod and the bifilar method. POI measurement/ calculation and principle axis measurement/calculation will be taught.

It is the intent of this class to provide the student with an understanding of the methods for measuring moment of inertia. The class will conclude with the taking of a test to verify that the class has provided the students with the basic understanding of how to measure moment of inertia of a missile or a control surface.

Basic calculators will be needed for examples and exercises. Please dress appropriately for working with measusring equipment. 

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Ship Inclining Training
William Fox, P.E., SAWE Fellow, Alion/JJMA (Retired)

This one-day class will discuss the inclining of a vessel in order to determine its displacement (weight) and centers of gravity. The primary emphasis will be on inclining in water, but inclining in air will also be covered. A classroom session on the theory, procedure, and results of inclining will be held, followed by an actual demonstration of inclining techniques aboard a waterborne vessel.

The objectives of the class are to provide the student with an introduction to the principles of naval architecture and to marine terminology, and to discuss and demonstrate the inclining of a vessel to determine its weight and center of gravity. ASTM F 1321-90, Standard Guide for Conducting a Stability Test, will be used as a text for this class. Following the classroom session, the class will travel to and board a vessel for a practical demonstration of an inclining. A brief light ship survey will be completed, drafts and specific gravity of the water will be taken, and inclining weight will be moved to obtain a plot of tangents and inclining moments. The resulting data will be processed and the vessel’s light ship displacement and centers of gravity will be determined at the conclusion. After the inclining, the class will return to the hotel for a summary and closing. The class will conclude with a short open-book test and exercise to confirm that the student has gained an understanding of the theory and practice of inclining a vessel. A conference room at the hotel will be provided, as will transportation to and from the inclining site.

Basic calculators will be needed for examples and exercises. Students should wear casual clothes and rubber- soled shoes, as they will be boarding a vessel. Class size will be limited to about 20 students.

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Advanced Measurement of Mass Properties
Paul Kennedy, SAWE Fellow, Space Electronics

To provide training in the measurement of moment of inertia, center of gravity, and product of inertia, with emphasis on the various measurement methods used in industry. This class begins with a review of the basic principles of mass properties measurement, including weight, CG, and MOI. Discussion continues with definition of Product of Inertia (POI) and how it is measured.

Advanced topics include:

Defining scope and Reporting without confusing
Error sources and Measurement uncertainties POI’s relationship to MOI
Fixturing tips, tricks, and traps
Specialized applications (time permitting)

It is the intent to acquire and use modern measurement equipment for demonstration. Equipment availability will be determined at a later date.

Who Should Attend?
Anyone who has interest in mass properties measurement and who already has a basic level of understanding of mass properties. It is recommended that you attend the “Mass Properties Measurement” training course prior to attending this course.

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