IHI developed STEP based aircraft engine SCM

The design of the system is based on many aspects of STEP technology, not only AP technology but also developing technology such as product modelling methodology, and is implemented on the EDM of EPM Technology.

Suppliers can put or get the necessary data described in IDEF0 into their own design and manufacturing process from a Web browser, and these data are implemented into a STEP database.

Turbine blades of an aircraft engine must circulate cold air to resist high temperature over 1000 degrees C, therefore they should be designed to have a complicated hollow structures in themselves. As the hollow structures of turbine blade has been made in the metal casting process, so the data for design and manufacturing of the parts tends to become very complicated, and then it has taken about six months to develop the new type of turbine blade as before.

Mr. Horie chief manager of this project of IHI commented "STEP, its technology and APs are very useful resources to integrate complicated and distributed design and manufacturing environments", and also continued as "we shall apply these approaches into operation, maintenance and recycle area."

This development has been carried under the direction of Mr. Inouye in Fujitsu STEP R&D Center with financial support from the Ministry of the International Trade and Industry and JIPDEC in Japan.

For more information visit the IHI website http://www.ihi.co.jp/