The Airbus co-ordinated „Value Improvement through a Virtual Aeronautical Collaborative Enterprise“ (VIVACE) Research and Technology project focuses on simulation and modelling techniques for aeronautical products during their design and development phases with the objective of reducing development time and costs.
The final results of VIVACE are presented at a public Forum held in Toulouse from 17th to 19th October.
VIVACE is a very large European Commission co-funded R&T project, grouping 63 companies and research institutions from the aeronautic sector such as Airbus, Rolls Royce, Snecma, Thales… It was launched in January 2004 and will be fully completed at the end of 2007.
Major innovation and progress has been developed within the scope of the project in seven key areas of the product development process, providing solutions in „Design Simulation“, „Virtual Testing“, „Design Optimisation“, „Business and Supply Chain Modelling“, „Knowledge Management“, „Decision Support“ and „Collaboration in the Extended and Virtual Enterprise“.
Through industrial simulations of a part of the aircraft, of the engine or of a development process, reflecting both the Virtual Product and the Virtual Extended Enterprise, major improvements have been obtained in terms of processes, methods and tools.
VIVACE contributes to answering the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) Vision of halving the time to market for new products, increasing the integration of the supply chain and maintaining a steady and continuous fall in travel costs. By using the latest innovations in advanced simulation and modelling techniques, it will provide the means to get the best possible knowledge about the product prior to its physical development, thus reducing the development cost, shortening time to market and further improving product quality.
More information on the VIVACE project can be found at: www.vivaceproject.com
