Developing products in the global environment using digital technology - a case study

The design and build of new aircraft is now not feasible through one OEM. The need to use external design and build suppliers to ensure faster new product introduction is a key enabler. This extended design team poses significant problems for concurrent engineering particularly when defining the product in the early design phases. Collaborative tools need to be developed which enable designs to be shared and reviewed remotely. One such tool is the digital mock up that was used extensively in Airbus for the development of the A380 project. The digital mock up enables remote design houses to review their designs in context. However, to create a digital mock up suppliers need to be given a set of processes and tools which will reduce the barriers to concurrent engineering and enable effective sharing of design data.