The RS-68 program was challenged to produce a simple engine that would be cost-effective when jettisoned after a single launch. To achieve this, the RS-68 has 80% fewer parts than the multi-launch Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME).
Engineering Process
The legacy design is converted from Pro/ENGINEER to CATIA V5 for modification to meet a new customer’s delivery requirements.
Accuracy and model quality must be maintained to meet requirements for aerospace manufacturing processes.
Elysium Solution
Elysium DirectTranslators converted assemblies for an entire rocket booster from Pro/ENGINEER to CATIA V5 with the precision required for manufacturing. Elysium DirectTranslators assure the highest possible fidelity because they employ the application programming interfaces of both Pro/ENGINEER and CATIA to translate solid model geometry, topology, and assembly relationships.
Results
Rocketdyne delivered the RS-68 for the Delta IV program at a cost of $14 million each, compared to $50 million for the SSME.