Streamlining the A&D supply chain

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To remain competitive, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers need to collaborate seamlessly. As demand soars for fuel-efficient aircraft, replete with the latest materials and technologies, every link of the complex, global supply chain is under pressure to work faster, increase agility and drive costs down.

Supporting Aerospace & Defense demand

For OEMs, in that time new technologies, regulations and customer strategies can emerge to complicate the project, cause delays and dent profitability. In the meantime, agile startups and regional OEMs, enabled by the latest technologies, are entering core markets and adding competitive pressure. To stay competitive, OEMs need to manage increasingly complex systems while driving innovation and meeting challenging budget and delivery targets. And they’re looking to lower-tier suppliers of components and subsystems to share more of the risk and responsibility.

Suppliers are feeling the pressure too. To maintain strong relationships with their OEM customers, they need to design and deliver increasingly complex components, faster and at lower cost. At the same time, they must make sure they can expand their footprint into new markets around the world, keeping pace with OEMs as they seek new opportunities and supply chain efficiencies. There’s only one way to achieve that: find leaner, more agile and more connected ways to work with OEMs.

Improving collaborative innovation and visibility

Integrating data from across the supply chain in a single platform can help organizations at every level resolve those issues. By applying AI, advanced analytics, optimized planning and 3D simulation capabilities to integrated data, OEMs can achieve a connected view that supports collaboration and efficiency throughout the supply chain. Suppliers can collaborate on innovation and planning without the cost or risk of building and testing physical prototypes.

Safran Transmission Systems, for instance, achieved instant project visibility with real-time dashboards and data traceability that helps ensure compliance, as well as linking its PLM and ERP processes.

 

Embraer uses a digital platform to connect the dots between engineering and manufacturing planning stakeholders, providing real-time product and build information. This has accelerated development time and improved quality and design innovation.

 

Airbus uses a centralized platform to ensure quality and consistency across all internal and external stakeholders worldwide, enabling it to meet challenging production ramp-up targets and customer commitments.

 

As these examples illustrate, data integration is the key to enabling organizations across the supply chain to innovate and grow together. Once that door is open, they are ready to fly.

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Discover how our solutions, powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform, help the Aerospace & Defense supply chain:
  • Engineered to Fly enables small and medium manufacturing suppliers to integrate their engineering processes from bid to delivery while improving margins.
  • Co-Design to Target improves program execution to meet cost, schedule and performance targets, avoid potential contract penalties and reduces engineering complexity.
  • Ready for Rate increases the efficiency of existing manufacturing operations, accelerates the ramp-up of new production lines and enables future factory innovations today.

 

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David Ziegler

David Ziegler

Vice President, Aerospace & Defense, David Ziegler leads the Dassault Systèmes Worldwide Aerospace & Defense Business through the development of its Industry leading Solution Experiences, based on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Prior to Dassault Systèmes, David held multiple positions in the Aerospace industry, including 12 years at Airbus both in France and the U.S., holding positions in Strategy, Sales and Business development, and most recently at Aéroports de Paris. A French citizen, David’s career in aerospace began when he obtained his Masters of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Supaero, followed by an MBA from INSEAD. Passionate about everything that flies, he also enjoys kite-surfing and spending time with his wife and two children, when he is not on a plane.