Middle River Aerostructure Systems’ full-scope capabilities – from product development to series production – enable the company to apply a systematic design-to-cost approach for its products.
MRAS has adopted the philosophy of “cost as a design requirement” in its approach to new product introduction. Combining that with its expertise in both metallic and composite nacelle components, MRAS is able to find optimum solutions that maximize all requirements – not just physical product performance.
fast fact
MRAS has benefitted from a year-over-year cost reduction of
15%
since incorporating design-to-cost and cost-out methodologies
One example of MRAS’ design-to-cost approach involved the inner fixed structure (IFS) for a jet engine’s thrust reverser. By applying design-to-cost methodologies during the preliminary design phase, it was determined that aluminum would be more feasible to produce and significantly less expensive than a graphite-epoxy panel without increasing weight or sacrificing noise treatment acoustics.
In addition to applying the design-to-cost methodology for its own needs, MRAS is able to share the company’s expertise with its partners in the supply chain.
