JSF tests show tooling down 90% and manufacturing cut by 66%

After extensive manufacturing demonstrations using EDS’ Teamcenter visualisation and product data management software, the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) airframe development team claims that, compared with conventional methods, using a common, digital product database will reduce production tooling by 90%, cut aircraft manufacturing times by two-thirds, reduce the number of parts by 50% and slash unit costs by half. The news follows EDS’ announcement last month that it had secured an $8 million contract with the JSF programme consortium (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems) for its Teamcenter software. The contract, which covers around 2,000 users across the three JSF members’ sites, has the potential to expand to more than 10,000 users across the consortium and an estimated 27 other suppliers and partners in the future. There are 22 fighter aircraft on order at present, but there could be as many as 3,000 in production over the next 10 years. This is just the beginning of the largest defence programme in the USA to date. Tim Nichols, VP at EDS PLM Solutions, commented: “With engineers working across 17 different time zones, Lockheed [who head the JSF team] needed a virtual network to design and manufacture the aircraft. With Teamcenter, Lockheed Martin and its team will integrate all aspects of the JSF programme, from design and fabrication through to assembly and in-service support by creating a secure, readily-accessible information database. This common, central repository will include engineering design requirements, design results and bills of material, all made available to users across a wide area network and the web. Nichols: “The estimated 90% drop in production tooling, jigs and fixtures comes from reductions in the amount of machining, fitting, shimming and finishing required in the final aircraft structure.” He says this has been made possible, “by using software that lets you hold virtual design reviews and simulate and mark-up things digitally, on-screen. Things like working envelopes, clash detection and interference fits can all help reduce your re-work… We expect to cut cycle times for final assembly of the aircraft down from 15 months to just 5 months using Teamcenter. “SDRC and EAI [now under EDS but formerly separate software suppliers] were fundamental in winning this contract,” adds Nichols. Lockheed will continue to use its existing Catia CAD/CAM software (3,000 users) for the airframe, but the engines for the aircraft (being developed and supplied by Pratt & Whitney and General Electric) will carry on using EDS’ Unigraphics CAD/CAM and Teamcenter engineering software.