Could PLM open the door to more growth?

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PLM

Bob Hillier, managing director of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) specialist, Design Rule discusses the benefits of PLM for the aerospace and defence industry.

The UK’s aerospace and defence industry has seen exceptional growth in recent years. In 2015 its contribution to the nation's economy was £55 billion and employment in the two sectors reached 270,000. Tier one and two suppliers have noticed the increase in demand and are keen to participate, which means that now, more than ever, these businesses have to prove they are the right one for the job.

The process of manufacturing in the aerospace and defence sector is now more complex than ever before. The OEM has taken on the role of assembler and now has close relationships with key suppliers who manufacture specific assemblies and components and are responsible for managing that supply chain. To keep track of the design and manufacturing processes, all parties need a common platform to share product information; data, designs, change updates, specifications, etc.

This is where PLM comes in. The majority of supply chain partnerships in the aerospace and defence industry follow a risk-sharing approach. This means that, if a product was late to market, or there was a problem once it was available to customers, bodies like the FAA, who are responsible for enforcing regulatory demands, would hold all parties accountable. As the amount of manufacturers taking part in risk-sharing partnerships increases, so does the need for a platform that keeps everyone in the loop.

The aerospace and defence industry has its own quality management regulation to comply with - AS9100. This standard is based on the ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems standard, but takes into account the additional needs of aerospace companies across the world. Compliance with the standard proves a company's ability to meet requirements, which enhances customer confidence and satisfaction. OEMs in the aerospace industry usually require proof of AS9100 compliance from suppliers and subcontractors before involving them in any project.

The defence industry also needs to comply with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). This controls the export and import of defence-related equipment and services. Everyone in the supply chain has to be aware of exactly what equipment is being imported and exported in order to comply.

The PLM platform will track and record the quality and regulatory information against a product and business process to ensure that all suppliers and the ultimate OEM are always compliant and auditable.

Reduced time to market

During the design engineering stage of development, the customer usually presents their specification to the design team within the OEM. If they do not have access to a PLM platform, they would usually record this in a spreadsheet application, which then proliferates down the supply chain.

Bob Hillier, managing director of Design Rule

The problem is that a spreadsheet can be altered, which means it may not be an accurate and trustworthy record of the process. In contrast, PLM offers the whole engineering and manufacturing supply chain a single source of truth. Changes to any type of documentation can be tracked, so design engineers can be sure that their final design meets all of the customer's specifications. At the end of the process, they should be able to demonstrate which aspect of the design meets each need in the specification and this can be rolled up to the aircraft assembler.

This process also presents the supply chain with higher quality data, earlier in the project. It enables them to start working on the development of the product as soon as the design is passed over from the specification stage, which significantly reduces the time it takes to get the new product developed and into service.

PLM applications also allow design engineers and manufacturers to carry out product simulation in virtual environments. It will manage the deliverables and dependences, flagging any risks and ensuring timely delivery for project milestones. This is particularly important for aerospace and defence as product lifecycle times are reducing and the industry has a goal of issuing a plane with a digital certificate of airworthiness, prior to any real manufacture. Different suppliers can no longer work sequentially as, by the time they had all manufactured their product, one component could already be obsolete. Unless suppliers change the way they work, they will not be able to deliver a high-quality product in the necessary time frame.

Right first time product

In the aerospace and defence industry, there is no room for mistakes. OEMs must ensure that, when the final product leaves their building, it is ready to be used and nothing is going to go wrong. Not only does PLM help manufacturers virtually test products in exact simulations of real-life situations, it also stores information regarding errors reducing the risk of repetition.

It's also vital that product information doesn't end up in the wrong hands, particularly in the defence and commercial aerospace industry. Fines for the accidental release of data can be extremely costly, and companies can lose their reputation after just one mistake. However, employees still need to be able to share information otherwise barriers to collaborative product development are created. The PLM platform can impose rule-based security controls on the types of information a person can access based upon their role or level of clearance.

In summary, the growth in the aerospace and defence industry shows no signs of slowing down, so suppliers need to be prepared for the tough competition they will face over the coming years. This can be achieved by having the correct software platforms in place to manage the demand for products that are right first time, manufactured in a shorter time scale and comply with the growing list of necessary regulations.

A contribution of £55bn to the economy is a brilliant achievement, but I expect the industry to supersede it in the next few years. Businesses that take advantage of the most advanced manufacturing tools and techniques, such as PLM, will be the ones that succeed as a result.

www.designrule.co.uk

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Design Rule

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