ANN ARBOR, MI, USA, May 8, 2023 – Representatives from the Aerospace & Defense PLM Action Group (AD PAG) Global Collaboration project team announce the availability of a working prototype application to enhance collaboration between OEMs and their suppliers. The Collaboration Management System (CMS) prototype is an open-service application developed by Talisen Technologies. The resulting software incorporates best practices defined by the AD PAG Global Collaboration project team for information exchange across OEMs, partners, suppliers, customers, and academia.
A key business issue identified by the AD PAG is that collaboration within a large, global, distributed supply chain of design and development partners is seriously hindered by relying on traditional, document-based development processes. In response, a project team of domain experts from the AD PAG member companies, including Airbus, Boeing, GE Aviation, Gulfstream, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and Safran, was established to evaluate current collaboration practices. The objective defined by the project team for the desired future state is to achieve OEM and supply chain collaboration through the bi-directional exchange of Technical Data Packages (TDPs) via digital tools and model-based processes.
In earlier work, the project team defined model-based processes and protocols for establishing and operating a collaborative environment between an OEM, partners, and suppliers. In this current research, the team focused on developing a working prototype application that embeds and facilitates their defined OEM-supplier collaboration processes and protocols. The resultant working prototype application can be used at any point in the product lifecycle.
According to Robert Gutwein, Associate Director of PLM Collaboration and Data Exchange at Pratt & Whitney Canada, who leads the project team, “Our research and analysis revealed that the greatest near-term value opportunity lay in addressing the inconsistencies and gaps in process and protocols for establishing and managing the ongoing operation of the OEM-supplier collaboration environment.”
“Having a tool to facilitate a consistent protocol for establishing and managing ongoing collaboration processes between the OEM and its design partners and suppliers can significantly impact the efficiency, reliability, and quality of the myriad interactions that occur during a product program,” stated James Roche, CIMdata’s A&D Practice Director.
The prototype is supported by a 27-page Collaboration Management System (CMS) Description document providing an overview of the open-service prototype application that embodies an aerospace and defense industry collaboration framework defined by the AD PAG Global Collaboration project team. The document is available for free download at https://www.cimdata.com/en/aerospace-and-defense/publications/digtaltwin-digitalthread.
Those wishing to evaluate the application can do so online or by downloading the open-service code through the A&D PLM Action Group’s website (www.ad-pag.com). Industrial users may participate in a User Experience Engagement, the results of which will be analyzed by the AD PAG Global Collaboration project team and incorporated into a revised specification document. For more information on how to become involved, contact CIMdata at info@cimdata.com
About the Aerospace & Defense PLM Action Group
Since its founding in 2014, the AD PAG, administered by CIMdata, has sponsored research and jointly staffed projects on a diverse set of prioritized PLM-related industry and technology topics. These topics include Model-Based Definition, Multiple-View Bill of Materials, PLM Technology Obsolescence Management, Global Collaboration, Model-Based Systems Engineering, and Digital Twin/Digital Thread. As an outcome of these investments, the AD PAG has released a series of direction statements and position papers that are freely available for downloading from its website at http://www.ad-pag.com/. Making these materials available is consistent with the Group’s mission to engage proactively within the PLM ecosystem and advocate for common direction and positions within the aerospace and defense industry on PLM-related topics of importance to the members.
For more information about the A&D PLM Action Group, please contact CIMdata at info@cimdata.com.
About Talisen Technologies
Talisen Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Talisen is a recognized global leader in enterprise solutions for organizations with sophisticated networks, applications, and security requirements. Talisen specializes in Aerospace & Defense (A&D) digital transformation services and systems. Talisen’s A&D team has extensive experience in technology consulting and developing software solutions that support OEM and supplier business processes. Our flexible and scalable systems integrate Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platforms to support supply chain interoperability and collaboration, digital requirements exchange, model-based systems engineering, and buy-package management. Talisen supports 2,000+ aerospace supplier companies.
