Overcoming aerospace supply chain challenges

Aerospace suppliers around the world are dealing with serious, unprecedented product development challenges. OEMs are pushing the limits in terms of what they demand in cost savings. Project timelines are becoming shorter. Regulatory compliance is increasingly complex and demanding.

Lifecycle Insights’ Chad Jackson shares his thoughts:

Interested in what Chad had to say? Register for his on-demand webinar.

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It’s obvious that pressure from all sides is driving change in aerospace and defense supply chains.

Less funding, more competition

Funding for aerospace programs has continued to decline, resulting in fewer and smaller programs being awarded for development. To win business, contractors are under pressure to bid more aggressively and commit to tight schedules, or, in many cases, uncertain program requirements. This spills over into the supply chain of Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers. Profitability is easily undercut by overspending, late delivery charges, or regulatory compliance penalties.

Increasing complexity

More than a decade ago, Tier 2 and 3 suppliers almost exclusively got contracts for parts. Today, OEMs outsource critical systems to prime and Tier 1 contractors. Much of that complexity makes its way down to Tier 2 and 3 suppliers. These contracts demand a broader range of engineering skills (mechanical, electrical, electronic, systems) and greater process complexity.

More regulatory compliance

There is an increasing amount of regulations to which suppliers must comply. Not only do they have to design and make parts, assemblies, and systems that comply, but they have to prove they comply with documentation. This responsibility has teeth. Fail and the company is hit with costly penalties. Smaller companies often do not have a range of specialists that know such regulations, so they are at more risk than larger companies.

We recognize these challenges, and aim to help companies meet them head on. If you register for the on-demand webinar that we’ve made available, your taking the first step in learning what it takes to face serious aerospace supply chain and product development challenges head on.

In the webinar, you’ll learn to:

• Create and reference a digital twin of your product
• Optimize your designs to meet customer requirements
• Validate your designs using virtual prototypes

Extending value

Solid Edge for Aerospace Supply Chain Companies helps you bring new concepts to market faster, meet regulatory pressures and deliver products with best-in-class performance characteristics. Our software tools address all aspects of the product development process, including 3D design, simulation, manufacturing, and design management.