Joint Strike Fighter developed with SGI visual supercomputers

The focus of the JSF program is affordability: reducing the development, production and ownership costs of the JSF family of aircraft. To help the JSF program accomplish this goal, both Boeing and Lockheed Martin turned to SGI for its advanced visualization technology to help them find the best ways to design, build and maintain the JSF.

SGI Origin 2000 servers and Silicon Graphics Onyx2 visual supercomputers allowed Boeing and Lockheed Martin to design the JSF virtually, long before metal was bent for demonstration aircraft. Both contractors are required to build and fly two concept demonstrator aircraft as part of the JSF Concept Demonstration and Risk Reduction (CDRR) phase.

Boeing's entry in the JSF competition is the X-32. SGI systems were used by Boeing extensively in the X-32 design phase and in the design of the operational JSF.

"Boeing used SGI's advanced graphics capabilities and multiple CPUs to perform, among others, collaborative fly-through sessions as well as virtual build/assembly/maintenance tasks to ensure concurrent engineering and first-time quality," said Jim O'Neill, chief of engineering for the Boeing JSF. "These processes and the hardware that made them possible allowed us to define and integrate the aircraft across multiple companies in record time, with higher quality and at a fraction of the cost that we had before."

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. (LM Aero) is addressing the issues of affordability and performance through its Virtual Product Development Initiative (VPDI), in which everyone involved in new product definition has access to relevant information and the most current design iteration. By identifying processes and technologies and building them into an integrated infrastructure, the company plans to achieve significant reductions in cycle time and cost for development, production and support.

"We have focused on eight key high-payoff initiatives, which include a combination of process change, hardware and software," said Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.'s Mary Ann Horter, program director for VPDI. "In some areas we are seeing reductions in cycle time and cost savings in excess of 70 percent to 80 percent. Virtual simulations have been key components in helping us meet these targets."

LM Aero has more than 450 Silicon Graphics visual workstations used for CATIA, Delmia and EAI applications in the design and manufacturing group as well as several Onyx2 systems and Origin 2000 servers across multiple disciplines.

LM Aero is also applying visualization technology to verify the material flightworthiness of the JSF, which will use a higher percentage of composites than previous fighters. To identify potential flaws that could lead to part failure under stress conditions, the company is replacing conventional water-coupled ultrasonic devices with its own Laser Ultrasonic Technology (Laser UT) system.

With an Onyx2 supercomputer, visualization software developed at LM Aero and a gantry robot, ultrasonic waves are translated into 3D solid models. Inspectors then examine the models to determine material flightworthiness of each composite part. With the Laser UT system Lockheed Martin can reduce the time it takes to inspect a part, such as a composite inlet duct, from 24 hours to less than two hours.

Lockheed Martin also employs Onyx2 systems and Origin 2000 servers for avionics and tactical software integration as well as for pilot training.