Messier Dowty unifies its product data

In order to unify a number of disparate product data management systems around the company, aerospace landing gear systems manufacturer Messier Dowty has recently completed a 350-user implementation of EDS’ Teamcenter Enterprise software across its Gloucester site. As part of the software and services contract, Messier is using EDS’ Collaboration Foundation and Part Family Manager software modules from the Teamcenter product lifecycle management (PLM) and collaboration suite. “By replacing several different methods that we have for storing, managing and distributing product information, [the software] will give us a far greater degree of control over the complete product lifecycle process,” said Mike Pictor, MIS project controller at Messier Dowty. “It will enable the sharing of design information, such as 2D drawings, 3D CAD models… between the engineering and manufacturing departments and across the business as a whole, including our facilities in Europe and North America. We are confident that this will result in time and cost savings for us,” he added. In a recent press conference, EDS’ Teamcenter manager EMEA, Barry Dudley, commented on the firm’s future plans for the Teamcenter software suite: “We’re developing standard modular technology but highly configurable with specific industry vertical offerings. We’re starting with automotive, aerospace and defence, then high-tech. And on the question of how EDS plans to merge its own software with its recently-acquired applications, Dudley answered: “We’re already well on the way to merging all the platforms into a single platform for all our software products, which will consist of componentised elements and a set of common services… By the end of 2003 most of this work should be complete.”