SHIPBUILDING

Streamlining Manufacturing Operations on the Production Floor

INTRODUCTION

Shipbuilding, Ship Maintenance, and Overhaul

Shipyards are looking to modernizing practices and leveraging digital technologies to take operations to new levels of productivity. The convergence of technologies enabled by a new model-based enterprise (MBE) philosophy leverage the engineering 3D models throughout Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) processes. In this new digital environment, shipyards can leverage technologies like connected product and equipment, optimized 3D illustrated work packages, inspection drones, augmented reality, and improved intelligence to create a new IT platform and reach new levels of productivity.

The key to enabling the effective use of these technologies is to connect data and systems throughout the enterprise for the entire product lifecycle from engineering into production and sustainment. iBASEt’s Solumina creates a Digital Thread for change management by integrating task planning and execution processes to engineering, scheduling, and parts management. Solumina handles much more than the electronic Technical Work Documents (eTWD), it becomes a critical part of the collaborative workflow that links processes across many departments and ensures delivery of the right information to the right place at the right time. The Digital Thread not only ensures configuration management it also maintains as-built and as-maintained records.

Benefits of Solumina for Shipbuilding

Task Planning

Details the work instructions and sequence so any trained personnel with the right skills can execute any task. This increases the flexibility and efficiency of the workforce. Resources required are also detailed for each task to help allocate resources during execution.

Workforce Certification Management

A shortage of qualified resources is a growing concern in many areas. Solumina can help train the workforce and maintain personnel qualifications up-to-date. Personnel can easily keep up with change management since the system forces acknowledgement by each mechanic of critical changes to procedures.

Task Execution

Includes task dispatch, assignment, verification of resource availability, and pre-shift checks. Easy online data collection for the technician. Direct data acquisition from connected devices. Real-time visibility of all task status for assigned and in-queue work. Processes for approval for deviations to the regular plan to handle special situations as they arise.

Equipment Calibration Management

Technicians need the assurance that their tools are working properly and are calibrated. The system keeps track of tool usage and calibration status.

VIRGIN ORBIT

How Virgin Orbit Found an MES to Trust

MES IMPLEMENTATION SUCCESS STORY

With cosmic goals and an aggressive production rate, Virgin’s new Orbit division needed a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) it could trust. Read on to learn how Solumina delivered a fast, reliable solution.

Lockheed Martin MS2 Tactical Systems – Clearwater Operations

QUALITY MANAGEMENT SUCCESS STORY

At Lockheed Martin’s Clearwater plant in Florida, quality management is not just about compliance to industry and customer requirements―the team has a continuous improvement culture that has led to impressive results, awards and recognition from its customers.

How BAE Systems Implemented a People First MES

SOLUMINA MANAGEMENT, MES IMPLEMENTATION SUCCESS STORY

Follow BAE Systems as they quickly learned the importance of capturing the necessary engagement across functions within the project lifecycle, from the generation of requirements to scenario testing and gap identification, to training and post go-live support in order to successfully roll out Solumina.

The Journey to a Paperless Shop Floor Pays Off for General Dynamics AIS

SOLUMINA QUALITY, MES SYSTEM SUCCESS STORY

The production facility went from a highly paper-based and manually controlled process to one where the manufacturing and quality management system, Solumina, is the focal point for building hardware.

How Cirrus Aircraft Leverages Solumina

MANUFACTURING EXECUTION SYSTEM SUCCESS STORY

Cirrus Aircraft worked closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to achieve certification for the Vision Jet, using Solumina MES in place of part piece level conformity. Going digital was a big part of the certification process transformation for Cirrus.

Using Digitization to Align Technology Adoption

September 27, 2019

LNS Research analyst Matthew Littlefield recently wrote a blog on the digital transformation at Lockheed Martin. Its F-35 fighter jet program is a good example of how to use digitization to align technology adoption with strategic objectives.

The Future of Automation, Part II

July 31, 2019

In this blog, AR becomes the topic of discussion. AR is no longer a distant, sci-fi dream. This technology is already flooding onto the shop floor and into field service. It overlays virtual objects on top of the real world to aid the user in terms of understanding, perception or action.

The Future of Automation, Part I

July 26, 2019

Human-centered engineering models are labor intensive and require constant verification, rework and re-keying. By adding digitization and AI into the mix, it is possible to transform the old model into an automated system that facilitates continuous operational learning and productivity gains that exceed existing approaches.

A New Era for Space Exploration

July 16, 2019

The closure of the U.S. Space Shuttle program in 2011 seemed like the end of an era. Yet since then, the sector has experienced a renaissance. A major stepping stone to the achievement of this goal is the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway. The Lunar Gateway will function as a lunar-orbit space station, a solar-powered communications hub, science laboratory, short-term habitation module, and holding area for rovers and other craft.

Top Five Strategies for Improving MES Performance in Complex Manufacturing

The most effective MES strategies make contributions well beyond the shop floor.

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