PLM for the US Army

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PLM for the US Army

• Dr. Raj Iyer
• Team Lead, PLM Technologies
• US Army Tank Automotive RDE Center, Warren, MI
• Presented at the 7th NASA-ESA Workshop on Product
  Data Exchange (PDE 2005)
• April 22, 2005

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Systems Supporting Army Readiness
PRODUCT LINES
SUPPORT
MAGNITUDE

• Combat Vehicles Tactical Vehicles
• Trailers Construction Equipment
• Materiel Handling Equipment Tactical Bridges
• Fuel Water Dist Equipment Sets, Kits
  Outfits
• Chemical Defense Equipment Shop Equipment
• Howitzers Large Caliber Guns
• Mortars Rifles
• Machine Guns Ammunition
• Aircraft Armaments Demolitions Explosives
• Rail Watercraft
• Fuel Lubricant Products Non-Tactical Vehicles

Capital Value of TACOM Equipment 81.7B
141 Allied Countries own TACOM Equipment
2993 Fielded Systems Supported
All Army Parent UICs Contain TACOM Supported Equip
gt 26,000 Components
Plus Technology Development for the Objective
Force
The Armys Lead Systems Integrator
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Driving Factors

• Product data is distributed among RDECs, PMs,
  LCMCs and OEMs
• Product data formats and systems to manage
  product data are not standardized CAD and PDM
  interoperability issues
• Data exchange and collaboration among
  organizations is inefficient and time consuming
• Fundamental requirement towards a true Army
  Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) strategy
  (SALE)
• Need for integrated product data throughout the
  products lifecycle spanning both engineering and
  logistics
• Conceptual models, 2D drawings, 3D solid models,
  modeling simulation data, analysis models, test
  data, repair maintenance history, IETMs,
  assembly instructions
• Need for a single set of logically unified
  product data

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Challenges

• Heterogeneous systems and formats for product
  data
• Extended lifecycle
• Legacy data
• Systems of systems integration
• Spiral development
• Performance Based Logistics (PBL)
• Contractor Logistics Support (CLS)
• Parts obsolescence
• Disposal issues

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Standards vs. Point-to-point Solutions
?
?
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The Need for Standards

• No guarantee that any of these commercial systems
  will last as long as the Armys product lines
• Version independence and upward compatibility
• Variety of commercial middleware solutions are
  available
• Point to point solutions
• Expensive to maintain and upgrade
• DoD mandate for open architecture standards-based
  systems leveraging best commercial practices

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The Solution

• Use of international standards ISO 10303 also
  known as STEP PDM Schema
• STEP is a neutral format not just for 2D/3D
  product data but also for PDM interoperability
• Specific STEP Application Protocols are already
  widely used in private industry
• STEP is well supported by most of the major PDM/
  CAD vendors PTC, SAP, UGS, MatrixOne, Dassault
• STEP is starting to be standardized for 3D solid
  models at the DoD (Navy and Air Force have
  mandated it already)
• Enormous potential for long term retention and
  archival of product data

STEP has the potential to save 928 million
(2001) per year by reducing interoperability
problems in the automotive, aerospace, and
shipbuilding industries alone
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Architecture for the TACOM Lifecycle Management
Command
STEP STandard for Exchange of Product data ACMS
Automated Configuration Management System ACE
Advanced Collaborative Environment PLM - Product
Lifecycle Management Plus SALE Single Army
Logistics Enterprise
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Vision

• Federated system of systems approach to product
  data management
• Web-based access
• Product data on demand
• Product-centric data management
• Single access and control point
• Improved real-time data collaboration
• Implement open data standards and best practices
• Manage heterogeneous data formats
• Automate CM/DM functions with workflows
• Manage product structures/ BOMs
• Maintain as-designed, as-built,
  as-maintained BOMs
• Manage serialized parts
• Access OEM controlled product data
• Integration to ERP and logistics systems

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Data Exchange Workflow
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STEP for the DoD Acquisition Cycle
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STEP Data Management APs

• STEP AP 214 CC6 PDM Schema
• STEP AP 232 Technical Data Packaging
• STEP AP 239 Product Lifecycle Support (PLCS)

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PDM Schema
Life-cycle
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(No Transcript)
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EXPRESS Data Manager Software
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Implementation Methodology

• Import PDM Object Model into EPM Model Migrator
  software
• Map objects and attributes between PDM and STEP
• Where one-one mapping is not possible, write code
  in EXPRESS-X
• Package software as a translator
• Web enabled links inside PDM callable by user
  screen or callable as batch process

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EPM Model Migrator Mapping Software
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Federation-based Product Data Synchronization
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For more details

• Dr. Raj G. Iyer
• Team Lead, PLM Technologies
• Engineering Business Group
• TARDEC
• E-mail raj.iyer_at_us.army.mil
• COM [phone]