ITU Opens Air and Space Vehicles Design Laboratory

ITU Aeronautical and Space Vehicles Design Laboratory Opened TUSAŞ General Director Temel Kotil attended the opening of the Aeronautical and Space Vehicles Design Laboratory at ITU. Kotil explained the new technology used in the laboratory and its importance. The Aeronautical and Space Vehicles Design Laboratory was opened at the Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics located at Istanbul Technical University's Maslak Campus. The opening ceremony at the faculty was attended by TUSAŞ (Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc.) General Director Temel Kotil, ITU Rector Osman Koyuncu, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics Dean Prof. Dr. Zahit Mecitoğlu and numerous faculty members. It was learned that PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) technology is used on the computers in the laboratory, and TUSAŞ General Director Temel Kotil provided information about this technology. Stating that as TUSAŞ they follow all new methods related to design and manufacturing, Kotil said that the latest technology is being used in this laboratory as well, emphasizing the laboratory's importance.

PLM Technology Used in Laboratory

Providing information about the PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) technology used in the Aeronautical and Space Vehicles Design Laboratory opened at ITU, Temel Kotil said: "There are very new methods in design and manufacturing around the world. As TUSAŞ, we closely follow these. What we call PLM, Product Lifecycle Management, means this: from the idea stage until it reaches the customer's hand, and as it continues in the customer's hands, tracking a product in the digital environment together with its digital twin. For example, when an aircraft's landing gear physically comes down, it can come down in the same way in the digital environment here. Say an automobile was manufactured and is being driven on the highway. If its digital twin exists here, it is being driven electronically here as well. In every aspect—its engine is running, producing electricity, emitting gas. That is what PLM means. Therefore, in the new world, with new concepts, a product is made very quickly from idea to manufacturing, and from manufacturing to maintenance at the customer. A tenfold speed gain is achieved. In the normal classical method, each engineer designs something and these are later combined. Here, everything everyone does goes into the pool at the same time and is combined. In short, it is a very new technology," he said.

Kotil Explained the Laboratory's Importance

Noting that the PLM used in the laboratory is an extremely new and fast technology, Kotil said: "So what is the importance of this laboratory? We entered the university with this. At the ITU Faculty of Aeronautics, and hopefully at other faculties later, student colleagues will develop with very new technologies. Therefore, they will be trained from the ground up. In the new world, classical matters have lost their importance. Because computers are very fast, software is more comprehensive, it is not like the engineering I knew in my youth. The new generation needs to see things firsthand, in the latest form in the world. For this reason, this laboratory is very different. This is not just a computer laboratory; it is a laboratory supported by TUSAŞ with infrastructure and human resources. Up to 20 students can work here at the same time, and they will be able to apply what they learn in the same way wherever they go in the world. ITU Faculty of Aeronautics students will see here what they would see if they had studied at MIT or worked at BOEING. We are already doing this at TUSAŞ. We are going to the student here, and eventually they will come to us as well. We hire and train approximately one thousand engineers annually. But now they will start here. Hopefully it will be an advantage for all of Turkey," he said. Speaking at the opening, ITU Rector İsmail Koyuncu said: "Many projects such as our national fighter aircraft and helicopters are being conducted simultaneously in our country. We need to provide every kind of support in terms of personnel for these. Of course, we need to provide this support as trained, ready personnel. The laboratory we will open today will hopefully provide us with this contribution in that regard. Our cooperation with TUSAŞ does not end with just this laboratory. Currently, we are conducting many projects with TUSAŞ, whether in terms of consultancy with our faculty members or in terms of conducting joint projects. This provides an additional contribution to our work. Going forward, as a university, we will continue to provide this contribution at the highest level. We are trying to provide every kind of support to TUSAŞ, which is a very important asset to our country. We will continue to do so going forward. There is a unit of TUSAŞ here on our campus as well. This unit is growing further. The number of staff has doubled recently. It will grow further and the numbers will increase. In this sense, we will continue to provide every kind of support with our faculty members, instructors and students. We thank TUSAŞ and our esteemed general director for this close cooperation," he said.