SimSAC
project ([Link])
User manual for
AcBuilder
input tool for CEASIOM software
Author: Martin Lahuta
© VZLU ([Link])
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Introduction
AcBuilder is one of the modules of CEASIOM software ([Link]) which is intended for
conceptual design and stability analysis.
This module can be used for following tasks:
● creation of parametrized geometry of an aircraft
● visualization of an aircraft
● input of miscellaneous data
● launching Geo and WeiBal modules
● import and export of parameters in XML format
Usage
AcBuilder can be started either from CEASIOM gui or directly from Matlab command line using
the following sequence of commands:
'acb_jinit' – initialize jogl library and java variables (completely clears Matlab workspace,
should be done only once)
'acbuilder' – opens AcBuilder's main window (see the main window at Fig. 1):
Fig 1: main window (Geometry module)
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Main window is divided into following three areas:
● menubar – serves for selection of modules
● window with image of an aircraft – contains visualization of an aircraft for selected
module.
The view can be changed in following ways:
● rotation about two axes
dragging the mouse
arrow keys (window must have a focus)
● zoom in/out
mouse scroll wheel
'f' key (zoom out) and 'c' key (zoom in)
● default perspective view
'r' key
from menu 'View'>'Reset view'
'Reset' button in top right corner of the window
● specific view (top, front, side)
items in 'View' menu
buttons in top right corner of the main window
● tables with parameters on the right side of the main window serves for entering the
parameters, upper frame contains list of available tables for currently selected module. Each
table contains three columns:
● name of the parameter (short help should be displayed if Technology module is
selected and mouse cursor is above this field)
● unit
● value – background color of this field has the following meaning:
white – editable value
dark green – noneditable parameter (output value only)
light blue – parameter which is edited using the dialog window (e.g. selection of an
airfoil etc.)
Main menu items
Project
'Set default' – reset all parameters to default values
'Import XML' – read all parameters from XML file. Default values are used when some
parameters are not found in the XML file.
'Export XML' – save parameters from all modules into XML file. Exported are all input
parameters (i.e. editable by user) and only those output parameters for which
corresponding modules were called (i.e. Geo and WeiBal modules called using menu
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'Geometry'>'Geometry (output)' and 'Weigths & Balance'>'Centers of gravity').
'Take screenshot' – capture a screen shot of an aircraft (only the visualization window) and save
the result as png image.
'Save data & close' – save all input and output (i.e. output values from modules Geo and
WeiBal if they were manually called by user) into matlab's global 'ac' variable (see the
Technical notes section bellow) and close the AcBuilder's window.
'Close window' – close the main window without saving the data.
View
'Reset' – set the default view size and perspective view of an aircraft.
'Side' – side view of an aircraft
'Front' – front view of an aircraft
'Top' – top view of an aircraft
'Background color' – set the background color of the visualization window (the color is set only
temporarily until AcBuilder finishes).
Geometry
'Geometry' – this module serves as a tool for creation of parametrized geometry of an aircraft
(see Fig. 1). User can select following components from the list in the upper right corner of
the window:
● Fuselage – this component must be always present
● Wing1 – this component should be always present for proper functioning of Geo and
WeiBal modules
● Wing2 – this component can be present only if Wing1 is present
● Horizontal_tail
● Vertical_tail
● Engines1
● Engines2 – this component can be present only if Engines1 is present
● Tailbooms
● Canard
● Ventral_fin
Meaning of the inidividual parameters is described in
CEASIOM100_xml_file_definition.pdf document.
'Fuel' – this module serves for definition of fuel tank inside Wing1 and other parameters related
to fuel (see Fig. 2).
There are two tables available:
● Fuel tank definitions – definition of the fuel tank inside Wing1
● Wingbox definition – definition of the wingbox inside Wing1 for structural analysis
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'Geometry (output)' – this item runs Geo module in Matlab ('acb_geom.m' script) and displays
some output values from this module.
'Export SDSA geometry' – this function exports file with geometry of an aircraft for
visualization in SDSA module.
Fig 2: Fuel tank definition
Weights & Balance
'Weights & Balance' – this module is used for definition of parameters related to WeiBal
module like dimensions of cabin, baggage compartment etc. (see Fig. 3).
This module provides five tables:
● Mandatory parameters – parameters defining the dimension of cabin, baggage
compartment, number of passengers etc. These parameters must be set by the user
otherwise default values are used
● Miscellaneous – these parameters are also mandatory.
● System weights (optional 1) – optional parameters, zero value means that this value
is estimated by WeiBal module otherwise nonzero value is used
● System weights (optional 2) – other optional parameters
● System CGs (optional 3) – optional coordinates of centers of gravity of different
systems. If some coordinate is nonzero then this value is used otherwise it is
estimated by WeiBal module.
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Fig 3: Weights & Balance
'Centers of gravity' – this item successively runs Geo and WeiBal modules and visualizes
centers of gravity of different parts of aircraft and also displays components of matrix of
intertia. Zero values of all coordinates of particular CoG means that this component was
not present and position is visualized in the tip of the nose ([0, 0, 0]). Note: CoG of the
engines are defined different way and visualized position (except ycoordinate) doesn't
correspond to real position (see Fig. 4).
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Fig 4: Centers of gravity
Technology
'Technology' – this module is used to set the parameters for NeoCASS module.
This module provides following tables (meaning of parameters in the following tables is
described in the NeoCASS manual – neocass[Link]):
● Geometry (beam_model) – specification of number of beams on components for
structural analysis (see Fig. 5)
● Geometry (aero_panel) – specification of number of panels on wings and control
surfaces for aerodynamic calculation (see Fig. 6)
● Geometry (spar_location) – specification of spar locations (spar location for the
Wing1 are defined under 'Geometry'>'Fuel'>'Wingbox definition')
● Material
● Loading
● Analysis
● Experienced
'Import XML' – this function can be used to load technology parameters from XML file.
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Fig 5: Technology module (beam_model)
Fig 6: Technology_module (aero_panel)
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Technical notes
Software requirements for AcBuilder:
● Matlab with java 1.5 and higher (check with Matlab command: 'version – java') – AcBuilder
was tested on Windows and Linux but others systems running Matlab can probably be used.
● XML toolbox for Matlab
Comments
● AcBuilder uses following global Matlab variables which shouldn't be changed during the
existence of AcBuilder in Matlab's memory:
● 'ACB' – java class with instance of AcBuilder
● 'ac' – structure containing the parameters edited in AcBuilder. When user selects
'Project'>'Save data & close' then all parameters are stored in this variable.
● 'defac' – structure with default values of all parameters
● AcBuilder uses jogl library ([Link]
graphics in java.
● Path to directory with airfoils (list of them is displayed in airfoil selection dialog) can be set
in 'acb.m' script (variable afPath). List of airfoils is initialized only once during the
initialization of AcBuilder and cannot be changed later.