1998 q4 dcac configurator new airplaneconfigurationdefinition software

8/13/2019 1998 Q4 DCAC Configurator New AirplaneConfigurationDefinition Software

1/6

DCAC Configurator: New-AirplaneConfigurationDefinition Software

A computing application is now available to help Boeing configurationengineers more accurately and efficiently configure the new airplanesoperators purchase from Boeing. Called Configurator, this applicationwill reduce the complexity and length of defining the airplaneconfiguration. In addition to eventually reducing the flow time to order anairplane--including eliminating manual searches for information aboutairplane options--Configurator will enable a rapid analysis of all

operator-ordered changes to ensure technical compatibility andcompleteness.Defining a new airplane during configuration discussions with operators is noweasier and faster using a new software application called Configurator.Configurator reduces the time reuired to select and validate options for theoperator!s configuration, replacing lengthy manual searches for information withreal-time, online searches. It also provides the most accurate and current dataavailable, which should help ensure the accuracy of data used throughoutairplane production. "his new application is a #ey element of a Boeing initiative tosimplify airplane design and production $see %Airplane Design and &roduction

Initiative%'.Configurator will improve the configuration process for operators byoffering the following benefits(

). Improved data access and management.*. +reater visibility of available options.. educed configuration flow time.

Improved Data Access and Management"raditional discussions of a proposed airplane configuration reuired Boeingairplane configuration engineers and operators to review various catalogs anddocuments that defined current options available for specific airplane models.

"hey also needed to review a price catalog for those options and a detaileddescription of the basic airplane called the configuration specification. All of thisprinted material was updated routinely but might not have included all newoptions and basic design improvements since the last publishing of the documentrevision.

Configurator, however, gives airplane configuration engineers the ability topresent operators with this information electronically, including versions as they
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#design%23designhttp://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#design%23designhttp://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#design%23designhttp://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#design%23design


2/6

become available. sing a laptop computer, the engineer can uic#ly downloadthe latest available option data, including up-to-date prices and weights $figure )'.

Configurator will also automatically validate the configuration according to certainengineering constraints, ensuring that the airplane is complete and that all

available options selected by the operator are technically compatible.

Greater Visibilit of Available !ptions/inding options to meet an operator!s business reuirement often meant theairplane configuration engineer would have to manually search catalogs or otherdocuments, or consult with another engineer to reuest further investigation.Configurator ma#es this information more readily available to the operator,providing the opportunity to ma#e faster, better informed decisions. Configuratordoes this through a library of available options that can be searched easily anduic#ly using many different criteria. "hese criteria include specific part numbers,#ey words that might appear in the option title, the Air "ransport Association

chapter where the option might be found, and even part descriptions $figure *'.

/or example, an operator may have established a long-term supplier contract formaintenance spares and may wish to select available options offered by thatsupplier. "he airplane configuration engineer can uic#ly select the supplier!sname to find all options in the library that contain parts by that supplier. Anoperator may also want to discuss seats, including passenger seats, second-observer seats in the flight dec#, cabin crew seats, and flight crew seats. singthe #eyword search in the option title, Configurator will find all options with theword %seat% in the title.

"educed Configuration #low $imeIn addition to reducing the time reuired to configure an airplane, Configuratorwill also allow Boeing to offer options to operators sooner, giving them greaterflexibility in ordering airplanes. Designed to be nimble, Configurator reduces flowtime in three other significant areas(

"he airplane configuration engineer can easily record airplane-specificconfiguration data into the operator!s file, called a Customer 0pecific1ption 0election $figure ', during the configuration discussion. "hiseliminates the delay that normally occurred before Configurator, when theairplane configuration engineer had to return to Boeing to input

configuration data into the change-processing systems. "he automated configuration validation chec# will reduce the time reuiredto verify that the airplane is complete and that the configuration iscertifiable, by reducing the need for lengthy manual technical configurationaudits.

sing telecommunication capabilities and real-time data entry during theconfiguration discussion, an operator!s encrypted configuration data will beable to be sent bac# to Boeing uic#ly for entry into the pricing and
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#fig1%23fig1http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#fig2%23fig2http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#fig3%23fig3http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#fig1%23fig1http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#fig2%23fig2http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_04/textonly/ps01txt.html#fig3%23fig3


3/6

offerability process. "he result is a much faster turnaround time for aproposal to the operator.

SummarConfiguring an airplane has traditionally been a lengthy, complicated

process. At times, configuration data brought to the discussions were notalways current, slowing the operator!s decision-ma#ing process, andvisibility of options that met the operator!s business reuirements waslimited to paper documentation that was time-consuming to use. 2owever,with Configurator, Boeing can now give operators maximum visibility of allavailable options with the most current technical data possible, with thegoal of reducing flow time of the overall configuration definition process.

-----------------------------------------------Airplane Design and %roduction InitiativeA comprehensive business process improvement #nown as Define andControl Airplane Configuration34anufacturing esource 4anagement$DCAC344' is underway at Boeing. "his initiative is aimed at loweringthe cost and increasing the efficiency of Boeing airplane configuration andproduction processes. "he Configurator software application is an integralpart of this process improvement.

"he initiative also calls for replacing hundreds of custom-built localcomputing systems with four integrated commercial off-the-shelf systems

to give users throughout the company--and around the world--access toone authoritative source of reliable data about Boeing products.

5hile Boeing airplanes have operated successfully in the commercialairplane mar#et for many years, the processes for designing andproducing them have become increasingly complex and time-consuming."he new system and processes of DCAC344, primarily in engineeringand manufacturing, center around four #ey elements for promotingconvenience and efficiency(

). A single source of product data, resident in an application called the

product data manager, will replace more than 677 old $%legacy%'systems and eliminate the rewor# and errors that result fromsystem complexity.

*. A simplified configuration management process based on partnumbers and a manufacturing serial number will replace thecumbersome system of %effectivities% that trac#ed airplaneconfiguration based on drawing numbers.


4/6

. "ailored business streams, a common-sense philosophy that canbe applied to engineering, will maximi8e design reusability by ta#ingadvantage of commonality among airplanes of the same model, orcan be applied to manufacturing, where it ta#es advantage of stableprocesses.

6. "ailored materials management will match the material-handlingtechniue to the part, eliminating unnecessary complexity.

"he new processes and system are primarily internal improvements thatwill remain largely invisible to operators of Boeing commercial airplanesbut are expected to produce certain benefits for them. "hese include lateroption selection, shorter decision-to-delivery time, fewer defects and lessrewor#, less variation between units, and better product support.

--------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------


5/6

--------------------------------------------------


6/6

Steven &aes0enior 0pecialist 9ngineer

Customer 'ngineeringBoeing Commercial

Airplane +roup

1998 q4 dcac configurator new airplaneconfigurationdefinition software

Documents