Airbus streamlines systems from design to manufacturing

Following its mergers and partnerships, Airbus is now successfully integrating disparate IT systems, applications and business processes across the many operating units via its recently formed Airbus Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) centre with IBM. IBM’s contribution is about delivering enhanced information systems for the businesses, while cutting the combined expenses of system maintenance and evolution. Benefits include organisational and cost efficiencies, mostly through reducing redundancy and waste, and the sheer number of steps it takes to deliver product. Says Raul Cosio, general manager for IBM Global Aerospace, Defence and Discrete Manufacturing: “The Aerospace industry is busy assimilating change following an era of rapid consolidation and increasing collaboration. “IBM is unlocking Airbus’ existing enterprise intelligence to better link legacy data to strategic functions using advanced application-to-application tools such as IBM’s CrossWorld’s business integration solutions.” The centre’s first project integrated two significant ‘silos’ within Airbus’ IT systems: fulfilment applications and prime aircraft data sources. The resulting PDM (product data management) system stores and transmits all component data and revisions within a single user interface. IBM’s role here was to design and implement CrossWorlds v4.1 enterprise EAI software, licensed for three years. The project’s architecture, integration and operating benefits are now transferable across the whole organisation. Airbus says it is providing increased productivity, quicker responses to change and improved access to and distribution of information. And within a short space of time the EAI centre has already inspired other similar PDM and e-procurement initiatives. Initially, IBM is focusing on integrating internal ‘backbone’ ERP and business information systems with legacy systems. For the future, the project will expand its scope to include external partner integration. “Once the divisions have a better grasp of what they already know collectively, they will be able to … share more information with partners and customers to integrate processes across the extended enterprise,” says Cosio.