Virtual Integration for Improved System Design

Current system development techniques still rely on integration labs and manual integration of system components, typically occurring after the design and development of the subsystems is largely complete. Discovery of design errors late in the development life cycle during system integration testing often results in large budget and schedule overruns. Technologies that enable virtual integration of embedded electronics and the mechanical systems with which they are coupled allow discovery of design errors earlier in the product development life cycle. The System Architecture Virtual Integration program within the Aerospace Vehicle Systems Institute is a collaborative effort aimed at developing these technologies.