CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
12 December 2007
Implementation Investments
Sikorsky Aircraft to Reduce CH-53K Helicopter Development Time with Right Hemisphere Software
Right Hemisphere announced that Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. is implementing its Deep ServerT enterprise software to accelerate several product development and launch processes. Deep Server, which is part of the Right Hemisphere 5 visual communication and collaboration software platform, will automate the creation of lightweight 3D product graphics for key functional teams and suppliers to reference and leverage in their own work, saving Sikorsky critical development time and expense for the CH-53K helicopter program.
In addition to supporting more effective cross-functional team meetings, Right Hemisphere's software will make Sikorsky's visual product information - originally created by engineers using CATIA® software - accessible to non-engineers and subcontractors in more commonly used formats such as Adobe® PDF® and Microsoft® PowerPoint®. The software's automatic translation and publishing capabilities are expected to significantly speed up the company's current processes for building documentation such as customer briefing presentations, RFQs, and shop floor assembly instruction sheets.
Right Hemisphere's software also directly supports Sikorsky's Model Based Definition (MBD) initiative, which is aimed at eliminating the need for conventional 2D drawings to communicate design intent. With Right Hemisphere's software tools, Sikorsky will be able to automatically translate Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) directly from CATIA models into rich and secure 3D PDF documents. These 3D PDF documents will empower Sikorsky's shop floor personnel with manufacturing and design intent earlier in the development cycle as well as provide better, more intuitive and visually rich assembly documentation that helps reduce shop floor errors.
"Our tools enable manufacturers to leverage their 3D product information to the fullest extent for more efficient processes and more effective communications," said Michael Lynch, CEO at Right Hemisphere. "By empowering companies, like Sikorsky, to get critical 360-degree input into their design and manufacturing decision-making sooner, our software helps them make better decisions earlier, thereby reducing engineering design changes and cycles. This translates directly into accelerated design velocity and is just one of the many ways I know our software will positively impact a variety of different workflows at Sikorsky."
Right Hemisphere's software is currently in late stage pre-production mode at Sikorsky and is expected to be in full production by the end of the year.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacturing, and service. The company's long commitment to safety and innovation is reflected in its mission statement: "We pioneer flight solutions that bring people home everywhere . every timeT." United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.
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