Client Challenge
An advanced engine demonstrator required adapting three tightly coupled components—the Rear Augmentor Duct (RAD), Balance Flap, and Balance Seal—from legacy systems into a new configuration.The risk wasn’t just performance.
If these components weren’t designed correctly:
- Assembly could fail
- Structural integrity could be compromised
- Program timelines could double due to rework
Our Approach
QDSS embedded a design engineer directly into the customer’s IPT, taking full ownership of the preliminary design phase across all three components.
The approach was deliberate:
- Validate early, not react later
Hand calculations were used upfront to ensure designs would pass structural analysis before CAD was finalized. - Build for change, not rework
Highly associative CAD models allowed updates to propagate instantly across the design, keeping structures and thermal teams moving. - Lead integration, not just design
Cross-discipline requirements were surfaced early, preventing conflicts from becoming delays.
What We Delivered
- ~360 design criteria and tasks completed with full compliance to EKS and design standards
- On-time RFQs, vendor alignment, and material release
- Seamless progression through M2 design review
- Zero action items from the program office
Impact
This was a successful design effort and a program enabler that:
- Eliminated redesign loops before they started
- Accelerated cross-functional execution
- Reduced dependency on customer oversight
- Positioned the team for sole-source follow-on work
What This Proves
Engineering breaks down when design becomes a bottleneck.
It accelerates when design becomes the integrating force across disciplines.
Adaptive Engineering means designing in a way that keeps the entire system moving.