Supporting aerospace design

The proper use of COTS technologies can change the range of new processes and products in the electrical sector.

The aerospace industry, especially in the area of electrical-systems design and integration, has often been perceived as slow to adapt to new COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) technologies and processes. The electrical computer-aided design (ECAD) systems currently in place in many organizations were created in-house and are structured to support a very specific design/build process.

The organizations responsible for defining the electrical content of a vehicle and integrating those electrical systems are tasked with one of the most demanding tasks in vehicle design. These organizations often have the fewest number of people working on the overall product design but also have the distinction of dealing with both the highest number and rate of design changes. Coupled with governmental and industry regulations, the ability for companies, especially the OEMs, to adopt and embrace new COTS technologies and processes while maintaining the same deliverables and standards of quality has been difficult.