|
Greetings, While people are still being cautious, there are definite signs that our customers are ramping up after last year’s slowdown. Anecdotally, I hear stories about recent hires and preparations for new projects. It’s all good news for the community at large. On other fronts, Viewpoint is in discussions with Carol Romanowski at RIT about providing content for a course on product data management. Specifically, the course is being designed for engineers who need to be familiar with the capabilities of databases for managing the reams of data being collected on products today. This includes data from the design phase, reliability testing, manufacturing, and field repair data. We are proud to be assisting Carol with her efforts, and we look forward to keeping you apprised of our progress. This month continues the series on 7 Challenges for Highly Effective Test Engineers with a discussion about Platform Choices. Thanks for reading!
Jim Campbell |
 Platform Choices
|
|
Last month, we discussed resource limitations. This month’s topic continues with steps and considerations on building or upgrading a test system. This month concerns selection of hardware and software components to construct your test system. What criteria do you use to select hardware and software platforms? I discuss those that Viewpoint considers in this issue. |
|
Jump-starting the Jumbo Jet |
|
This February marks the 41st anniversary of the maiden flight of the first wide body aircraft ever produced. Boeing successfully tested its new 747 jumbo jet February 9, 1969, with test pilots Jack Waddell and Brien Wygle at the controls. Designed and built in the 1960s in response to the demand to carry larger numbers of passengers, Boeing agreed to a tight schedule to deliver the first 747 to Pan Am. The 28 months to design the aircraft was two-thirds the normal time. To accomplish this, the 747 team had to design, develop, and deploy several modules concurrently. Pratt & Whitney had to provide a new high-bypass turbofan engine. Boeing reworked its designs from the US Air Force Heavy Logistics System prototype into the current 747 frame. Boeing even designed and built the main production plant in parallel. All of these efforts overlapped, such that the first full-scale mock-up of the 747 rolled out before construction workers finished the factory roof. Due to the immense size of the 747, safety was elevated to an all-new importance. Boeing used a new method of spotting potential hazards known as "fault tree analysis", where engineers could easily analyze the impact of a failure of one part or system on other systems. Moreover, the 747's design included redundant hydraulic systems, quadruple main landing gear, and dual control surfaces. Despite initial fears of newer supersonic jets quickly supplanting the 747, Boeing has produced over 1,400 of the original jumbo jet and the latest model (747-8) is still in production. Source: http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Aerospace/Boeing_747/Aero21.htm |
|
|
