Dassault has started what it says is "a new industrial revolution" with its product lifecycle management (PLM) process.
The process is a natural evolution of design tools such as CATIA software and is a method of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from its conception, through design and manufacture, to service and disposal. PLM allowed Dassault to design and build the 7X in a completely virtual environment. Consequently, most of the issues that arise during a traditional manufacturing process were sorted out before production started, resulting in significant reductions in time and costs.
The magic truly shows once the aircraft are in service, as each one is created with its own digital mock up, enabling engineers to respond rapidly to technical issues that emerge. It also helps with the completions process, as owners customise their ships. At the heart of PLM is the creation and management of all data and technology, offering instantly accessible information and knowledge.
PLM is not an aerospace industry exclusive, although Dassault has been the first company to use it to build an entirely new aircraft. The team at Little Rock showed how PLM had saved hours of intricate installation work, when a 3-D digital display revealed that a plumbing pipe attached to a galley sink was designed incorrectly and was a few inches off target. Seeing the mistake on screen enabled the completions team to correct the problem before the furniture was installed, thus saving hours of costly remedial work.
Source: Flight Daily News
