12 AEROSPACEMANUFACTURING
Knowledge is power
and information is
king, and the shape
of the aerospace
manufacturing supply
chain is increasingly
being defined by the
digital thread that runs
through it.
Dr Neil Calder reports
DEFINITIVELY
DIGITAL
T
here is a continuum of digital data digital modules in design, simulation, either to satisfy the requirements of
generated and communicated cost modelling, computer aided a major aerospace project (such as
for aerospace products from manufacturing, production control, and Tornado or Typhoon) or to accommodate
their order prediction to their ultimate this is now starting to percolate into the the integration of business units
disposal, and in much of this there is a wider supply chain through a number of through acquisition and other business
strong manufacturing influence. routes and actions. fluctuations.
The term ‘digital manufacturing’ In what can be defined as Network The representation of the relative
covers the infrastructure, practice Enabled Capability (NEC) for the supply linkages of the major groupings of digital
and operation of using this sometimes chain, the cloud of data that surrounds modules shown on the left is based on
nebulous cloud of data to define and to the value stream adds important one used by BAE Systems, although this
control the production of components cohesion. The linking of all the modules is consistent with other major company
and assemblies, within the advanced within the digital manufacturing architectures. Within each grouping,
engineering sector and especially relating environment has been practised within there are familiar individual products
to aerospace manufacturing. The primes the larger players and primes for decades and systems such as Catia, FibreSIM,
and major OEMs have spent the last – since the advent of widespread EdgeCAM and so on, as well as more
decades linking individual IT and numerically controlled machining on proprietary in-house solutions and
Tornado and the A320 although there is standardisation in the
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family of aircraft. formats for information passed between
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This has entailed these systems, there is still some way to
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of legacy systems the whole extended enterprise seamless.
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– a thankless task The digital manufacturing environment
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and never without its is manifested at its current peak in the
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problems. As smaller Typhoon major assembly hall at BAE
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modules have been Systems’ Samlesbury site. Here, the
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there has been the levels of interchangeability is dependent
usual effect of shaping on the definition at all stages of detail
Diagram | Elements with digital manufacturing
by local conditions, manufacture and assembly in an entirely
AM_jul07_p12-13_tech.indd 12 29/6/07 10:52:35
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