Software optimises collaborative processes

An IBM Product Lifecycle Management Solutions product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 24, 2005

Aircraft Braking Systems Corp uses PLM solutions from IBM and Dassault Systemes to bridge to its SAP ERP system and optimise collaborative processes between engineering and manufacturing.

Aircraft Braking Systems Corp (ABSC) has chosen PLM solutions from IBM and Dassault Systemes to bridge to its SAP ERP system and optimise collaborative processes between engineering and manufacturing.

ABSC will describe its current PLM benefits with Smarteam, as well as its ERP integration project, at the Annual COE conference in Phoenix this week.

Aircraft Braking Systems Corp will extend Smarteam, an IBM PLM solution developed by Dassault Systemes, and, using it with Catia V5, will facilitate engineering collaboration and knowledge management in its programmes, such as a regional jet project for a Chinese airline.

Smarteam will help support mission-critical concurrent engineering processes across ABSC's design team, including management of FEA associativity and analysis models, and of the multiple Catia V5 files generated by these processes.

ABSC undertook a year-long study to find the optimal system for integrating its PLM and ERP applications.

Aircraft Braking Systems Corp, formerly part of Goodyear Corp, is one of the world's three leaders in the manufacture and supply of aircraft wheels, brakes, and anti-skid systems to aerospace OEMs (including Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, Dassault, Gulfstream and Bombardier), and to military entities and parts distributors.

It is a highly engineering-focused company facing demanding aerospace industry regulatory and safety-compliance needs.

"Smarteam will be bridged to our SAP system, not just for engineering configuration management, but for optimised collaborative processes between engineering and manufacturing", said Mark Gilbert, Manager, Design/Modelling/Configuration Control, Aircraft Braking Systems Corporation.

"We like Smarteam's flexibility, customisation and seamless integration to Catia, which together let us optimally manage our finite element analysis (FEA) data".

"One item that clinched our decision was Smarteam's intelligent approach to handling the actual record, such as revisioning within the same profile card, and high usability that makes interaction easy even for those outside engineering".

"We are pleased that Aircraft Braking Systems Corp has chosen to expand its Smarteam solution to achieve further enterprise integration and collaboration", said Avichay Nissenbaum, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Smarteam.

"Core to our strategy is the full integration of business and product data, and the support of complex, mission-critical processes that streamline OEM-supplier collaboration".

ABSC is organising a strategy team to define a clear division of labour between Smarteam PLM and their ERP system.

The company will soon be extending Smarteam to manufacturing teams, which according to Gilbert: "already have Catia, and just need the Smarteam models to facilitate the making of tool paths", further increasing efficiency, reducing costs and speeding product development.