How is Interior of an Aircraft Designed ?
When original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are producing parts and equipment for interior design, they can face quite a few challenges. With such close interaction with passengers, interior design must simultaneously provide excellent customer experience, and efficient and low-cost maintenance and operations of an aircraft. The three main design parameters that a manufacturer must consider include the demand for fuel efficiency, fast manufacturing speeds, and aircraft security.
Fuel efficiency has been greatly enhanced by the development of carbon composites and engineered alloys. The use of these lightweight, durable materials in cabin components has allowed aircraft to optimize their fuel consumption, while simultaneously allowing for an enhanced flight experience for passengers. Interiors are designed using the same considerations as any other part of the aircraft. Manufacturing, maintenance, and comfort are all elements that are considered early on in the engineering process.
There is another interesting psychological factor that complicates the design of an aircraft cabin—perception. Interactions with differentiating textures, weight, and lighting all affect the impression that an airliner can make on a passenger. For example, because the mechanisms used on aircraft tray tables are so lightweight, passengers may attribute their weight to mean they are made of less reliable materials. Though this is a false inclination, our brain judges that the component is less durable. As such, manufacturers have developed position control hinges, whose ergonomic design creates the perception that the trays utilizing this component are heavier than they actually are. The consumer minded design also controls excess motion and diffuses vibration, creating a smoother passenger experience.
Ergonomics is also a part of the quest to increase the manufacturing speed of interior design components. The benefit of standardized mechanisms are quickly becoming the norm as the manufacturers seek new ways to streamline production to meet increasing demand while maintaining a sense of reliability with passengers. Standardized mechanisms that are engineered for maximized functionality and comfort have the ability to decrease the time these components formerly would have spent hung up in the approval and validation process.
The light-weight of composite materials also affords interior design the ability to incorporate new security features. An example of this is the inclusion of electronically actuated latches. These push-to-close mechanisms allow the flight crew to have greater control over the cabin as the latches can seal doors to specified compartments. As materials technology advances, we will likely see the benefits reflected in more fuel efficient, ergonomic and safety-minded interior design. In turn, OEMs hope to see a more streamlined manufacturing process and an increase in positive passenger experience.
Share
