Thursday, November 4

IP6
An Industrial Look at CAGD Within Boeing

9:15 AM-10:00 AM
Room: Rio Grande Ballroom
Chair: Tony DeRose, Pixar Animation Studios

In his 1944 book "Practical Analytic Geometry with Applications to Aircraft," Roy Liming put forward a goal of developing a "practical system of analytic calculation techniques for direct use in the aircraft, automotive, and marine industries." He did so because, as he said, "the application of mathematical methods results in more complete control of the developments from basic conditions. Consequently, desired or intended performance characteristics are more nearly realized." At the Boeing company, we have been pursuing this goal for over 50 years with some stunning successes and a few abject failures. In this talk, I will discuss both successes and failures considered from the point of view of the practicing engineer. I will describe, using Boeing projects such as the 777 airplane, how some CAGD concepts have enabled designers to do more and how others have actually inhibited productivity. Of course, each success or failure is a learning opportunity, pointing the way to new mountains to be conquered. Finally, I will discuss our view of some of the new mountains that we are encountering and how they might effect the direction of CAGD.

David R. Ferguson
The Boeing Company
Seattle, Washington

 

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Created TJF, 5/20/99;Last Updated MMD, 6/15/99