Product Lifecycle Management for Aircraft Sustainment and Support – Phase IIIB

NCMS Project #: 140819

Problem: Product development has become strategically crucial to the financial performance of manufacturing companies worldwide. Due to this fact, companies are investing more manpower and money into it. They understand problems and appreciate the solution Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) addresses and the benefits it can reap such as lower production costs, as well as accelerations in new product designs, launch schedules and engineering cycle times.

Benefit: Upon completion of the project, the 3 FRC locations will share a common PLM backbone with similar functionality, tailored to their unique organizational configuration. The common backbone will enable the FRCs to share data, resources and manufacturing capabilities in an efficient configuration managed environment through the lifecycle of their products.

Solution/Approach: The project approach will build on the substantial work accomplished through earlier CTMA projects through NCMS. Because the work performed at each of the Fleet Readiness Centers (FRCs) varies and each location is at a different level of maturity, the approach has been divided into 3 sections, one for each FRC location.

Phase III will focus on the vertical lift aircraft at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRC East) which presents opportunities that do not exist at the other locations. One of FRC East’s most significant issues is the management of V-22 Osprey engineering data. The V-22 data consists of 3D CAD data, 2D drawings, and associated information received from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Utilizing the capabilities within Teamcenter, this data can be placed under full configuration management and will allow anyone to perform searches on and within the data. This environment will also be used to not just manage the data, but also provide the tools needed to manage the processes from engineering through planning to manufacturing.

Impact on Warfighter:

  • Increased accessibility of accurate, timely and reusable data
  • Single source of Bill of Materials information
  • Reduced number and cost of errors
  • Improved efficiency, productivity, and workflow
  • Improved readiness

DOD Participation:

  • U.S. Navy (FRC East)
  • U.S. Navy (FRC Southwest)
  • U.S. Navy (FRC Southeast)

Industry Participation:

  • Siemens PLM
  • NCMS

Benefit Area(s):

  • Cost savings
  • Repair turn-around time
  • Obsolescence management and continued maintenance capability
  • Positive environmental impact
  • Improved readiness

Focus Area:

  • Business processes/partnerships

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