Knowledge collection in aircraft passenger seat assembly: Insight for a conceptual design method development

In the field of aircraft system engineering, this research work aims to bridge the gap between conceptual design and quantitative analysis, with a specific focus on the installation of aircraft passenger seats. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive analysis of seat installation process for commercial aircraft was carried out to identify and describe criticalities associated with this manufacturing phase. Different means were used to gather information, starting from the analysis of technical documents, and conducting interviews with industry experts. The research methodology employs a unique translation mechanism, harnessing the power of scoring matrices which are based on a graduated scale ranging from 1 (best option) to 5 (worst option). The scoring matrix serves as a tool for quantifying and translating the qualitative data gathered from the experts into quantitative analysis reflecting the installation process workload. By quantifying the qualitative information provided by the experts, this approach enables a systematic evaluation of seat installation and aids in decision-making within the aircraft assembly domain. In essence, this research contributes a structured and rigorous framework for assessing the ease of installing aircraft components, with a specific emphasis on seats, resulting in an improved assembly process of aircraft.