Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) is creating virtual models, or digital twins, of a Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter and a Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber through a pair of Pentagon efforts.

Melinda Laubach-Hock, NIAR sustainment director, told Janes on 14 July that the institute is digitally reassembling each aircraft. It is taking each aircraft apart piece by piece, scanning them using high-fidelity scanners, and creating three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) models of the parts. The B-1B being disassembled for a virtual model is tail number 85-0092.

A B-1B being disassembled for virtual modelling by Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research. The aircraft’s tail number is 85-0092. (National Institute for Aviation Research)

Laubach-Hock noted that it is getting harder to maintain older airframes such as the B-1B and UH-60L that were originally designed on paper. It is also challenging and more expensive to make spare parts for older aircraft, she said, as two-dimensional (2D) designs must be converted into 3D computer-aided design (CAD) drawings by an engineer;..

Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) is creating virtual models, or digital twins, of a Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter and a Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber through a pair of Pentagon efforts.

Melinda Laubach-Hock, NIAR sustainment director, told Janes on 14 July that the institute is digitally reassembling each aircraft. It is taking each aircraft apart piece by piece, scanning them using high-fidelity scanners, and creating three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) models of the parts. The B-1B being disassembled for a virtual model is tail number 85-0092.

A B-1B being disassembled for virtual modelling by Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research. The aircraft’s tail number is 85-0092. (National Institute for Aviation Research)

Laubach-Hock noted that it is getting harder to maintain older airframes such as the B-1B and UH-60L that were originally designed on paper. It is also challenging and more expensive to make spare parts for older aircraft, she said, as two-dimensional (2D) designs must be converted into 3D computer-aided design (CAD) drawings by an engineer;..

Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) is creating virtual models, or digital twins, of a Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter and a Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber through a pair of Pentagon efforts.

Melinda Laubach-Hock, NIAR sustainment director, told Janes on 14 July that the institute is digitally reassembling each aircraft. It is taking each aircraft apart piece by piece, scanning them using high-fidelity scanners, and creating three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) models of the parts. The B-1B being disassembled for a virtual model is tail number 85-0092.

A B-1B being disassembled for virtual modelling by Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research. The aircraft’s tail number is 85-0092. (National Institute for Aviation Research)

Laubach-Hock noted that it is getting harder to maintain older airframes such as the B-1B and UH-60L that were originally designed on paper. It is also challenging and more expensive to make spare parts for older aircraft, she said, as two-dimensional (2D) designs must be converted into 3D computer-aided design (CAD) drawings by an engineer;..

Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) is creating virtual models, or digital twins, of a Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter and a Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber through a pair of Pentagon efforts.

Melinda Laubach-Hock, NIAR sustainment director, told Janes on 14 July that the institute is digitally reassembling each aircraft. It is taking each aircraft apart piece by piece, scanning them using high-fidelity scanners, and creating three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) models of the parts. The B-1B being disassembled for a virtual model is tail number 85-0092.

A B-1B being disassembled for virtual modelling by Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research. The aircraft’s tail number is 85-0092. (National Institute for Aviation Research)

Laubach-Hock noted that it is getting harder to maintain older airframes such as the B-1B and UH-60L that were originally designed on paper. It is also challenging and more expensive to make spare parts for older aircraft, she said, as two-dimensional (2D) designs must be converted into 3D computer-aided design (CAD) drawings by an engineer;..

Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) is creating virtual models, or digital twins, of a Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter and a Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber through a pair of Pentagon efforts.

Melinda Laubach-Hock, NIAR sustainment director, told Janes on 14 July that the institute is digitally reassembling each aircraft. It is taking each aircraft apart piece by piece, scanning them using high-fidelity scanners, and creating three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) models of the parts. The B-1B being disassembled for a virtual model is tail number 85-0092.

A B-1B being disassembled for virtual modelling by Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research. The aircraft’s tail number is 85-0092. (National Institute for Aviation Research)

Laubach-Hock noted that it is getting harder to maintain older airframes such as the B-1B and UH-60L that were originally designed on paper. It is also challenging and more expensive to make spare parts for older aircraft, she said, as two-dimensional (2D) designs must be converted into 3D computer-aided design (CAD) drawings by an engineer;..

Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) is creating virtual models, or digital twins, of a Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter and a Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber through a pair of Pentagon efforts.

Melinda Laubach-Hock, NIAR sustainment director, told Janes on 14 July that the institute is digitally reassembling each aircraft. It is taking each aircraft apart piece by piece, scanning them using high-fidelity scanners, and creating three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) models of the parts. The B-1B being disassembled for a virtual model is tail number 85-0092.

A B-1B being disassembled for virtual modelling by Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research. The aircraft’s tail number is 85-0092. (National Institute for Aviation Research)

Laubach-Hock noted that it is getting harder to maintain older airframes such as the B-1B and UH-60L that were originally designed on paper. It is also challenging and more expensive to make spare parts for older aircraft, she said, as two-dimensional (2D) designs must be converted into 3D computer-aided design (CAD) drawings by an engineer;..