Complex Multi-System Integration Problems Associated with Titanium Metalworking and Manufacture: System of Systems Aproach—Part I

Abstract

Titanium has an excellent combination of properties that make it an attractive material for use in aerospace applications. The one area in which titanium is not aligned with customer needs is affordability. Components made from titanium are many times more expensive than those manufactured from other alloys. The supply chain of an extruded product is no exception. A breakthrough in extrusion cost reduction would enable wider adoption of titanium in many structural member applications. In an effort to accomplish any breakthrough in titanium component costs, the entire supply chain for manufacturing should be evaluated simultaneously. Due to the complex interaction of the many facets of the systems in a manufacturing supply chain, it is inferred that the supply chain in its entirety must be the focus of the design activity in order to be successful. Design improvements on a single facet of manufacture may have little to no effect on the manufacture of the component. If the improvement has a detrimental impact on another system in the supply chain, overall performance may be lowered. The use of a system of systems’ (SoS) design approach was used due to its capability to address complex multi-system integration problems associated with titanium metalworking and manufacture.

Keywords

• system of systems
• complexity
• multi-system integration
• titanium metalworking and manufacture