72nd International Conference on Mass Properties Engineering, May 18 - 23, 2013, St. Louis, Missouri

Training Program

72nd Annual International Conference 
on Mass Properties Engineering
May 18-22, 2013
St. Louis Union Station Hotel
St. Louis, Missouri

Errol Oguzhan, PE
Vice President – Training
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.
Rick Watkins
Deputy VP – Conference Training
Altair Engineering
Brad Hill
Conference Training Coordinator
The Boeing Company 

Training Program 

As the Society of Allied Weight Engineers Training committee prepares to welcome you to the 72nd Annual International Conference on Mass Properties in St. Louis, Missouri, 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 Union Station Doubletree Hotel. The SAWE has a track record of delivering outstanding training and hope you will enjoy it with us here in St. Louis.

 

Day Date Class Title
Saturday 5/18 SAWE RP-7: Mass Properties Mangement and Control of Military Aircraft
Principles of Weight Management and Weight Estimating Methods for the Offshore Oil Industry
Sunday 5/19 Aircraft Weight Estimating and SAWE RP-8: Weight and Balance Reporting Forms for Aircraft
Aircraft Weight and Balance
 - Day One
Monday 5/20 Aircraft Weight and Balance
 - Day Two
Introduction to Finite Element Analysis
Introduction to Structural Optimization
Automated Weight and Balance System (AWBS) Training Moved to Wednesday 5/22
Wednesday 5/22 Measurement of Mass Properties Canceled
Automated Weight and Balance System (AWBS) Training
Conference Planning

 

SAWE RP-7: Mass Properties Management and Control of Military Aircraft
Dudley Cate, SAWE Fellow, NAVAIR-Retired

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.

[Top]

 

Aircraft Weight Estimating and use of SAWE RP-8: Weight and Balance Reporting Forms for Military Aircraft
Dudley Cate, SAWE Fellow, NAVAIR-Retired

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. 

[Top]

 

Principles of Weight Management and Weight Estimating Methods for the Offshore Oil Industry
Andy Schuster, SBM Offshore, SAWE 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.

[Top]

 

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. 

[Top]

 

Automated Weight and Balance System (AWBS) Software Training
Harold Smoot, 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. 

[Top]

 

Measurement of Mass Properties Canceled
Jerry Pierson, Lockheed Martin

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. 

[Top]

 

Introduction to Finite Element Analysis
Chayan Basak, Altair

This half-day class will introduce the student to the fundamentals of finite element analysis, particularly as it pertains to the process of product design, analysis and validation. The class will be targeted to the audience of mass properties engineers and will include an overview basic finite element theory. The class will include several examples and a demonstration. It is recommended that the student take this class prior to the Introduction to Structural Optimization class.

[Top]

 

Introduction to Structural Optimization
Chayan Basak, Altair

This half-day class will introduce the student to the fundamentals of structural optimization using numerical and finite element methods. The class will introduce a variety of optimization techniques for conceptual design, detailed design, design-of-experiments and reliability-based studies. The format of the class will be seminar-based with ample room for student interaction and dialog. It is recommended that the student take the morning Introduction to Finite Element Analysis class or have some experience with Finite Element Analysis.

[Top]