Razorleaf Government Solutions, LLC, (RGS) participated in a 3-D Data Exchange project with the Navy that won the coveted Commander's Award in the Business Innovation category in April 2018 for generating cost savings and efficiency gains.
The team developed a system that reduced the amount of time and resources required to create/verify/validate technical data, resulting in an estimated cost savings of $10.8 million annually. The project was funded as part of a Navy ManTech Innovation program designed to support the quick implementation of beneficial, and repeatable, technologies within the combat branches of the military.
As part of the normal military platform procurement process, the military receives design and engineering information from the equipment manufacturer. Once operational, the platform may require repair, refurbishment and/or replenishment of worn-out or missing parts. In the current environment, this process can take significant amounts of time should there be any engineering questions related to the parts being purchased.
The solution designed by RGS involves the automated generation of neutral-formatted 3-D CAD models in a 3-D PDF format. When converted to this format, the model is readable by a variety of non-engineering specialists, and the complex CAD data no longer requires a license of the original CAD software to view the information.
"Increasing the accessibility of the CAD models through the 3-D PDF format will significantly reduce the time necessary for the Navy to procure replacement parts. This project will allow non-CAD engineers access to the data that they need to perform their jobs," said Howard Owens, PMA-261 Technical Data Lifecycle Manager. "This innovative technology will increase aircraft availability for the daily flight schedule."
The new system combines capabilities from multiple software suites into one unified, automated solution-founded on Dassault Systèmes' ENOVIA Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software-that serves as the master CAD repository and automated workflow engine. Connected to the PLM system are software suites from ITI, DEXcenter and CADIQ and Anark. The connectors between the systems allow the CAD data to automatically move between the PLM system and the other software, generating the derivative CAD data as well as producing validation reports against the authoritative models.
"Combining these pieces of software will deliver immediate benefits to the Navy at a much lower cost than validating and converting the models manually," said Jonathan Scott, Chief Architect of RGS. "These software pieces were already certified in the Navy's system and RGS just needed to do the challenging work of bringing them together."
"For all involved, this is an immediately beneficial solution and worthy of the Commander's Award that it won from NAVAIR," said Steve Nichols, Vice President of RGS. "This solution is designed to be portable across multiple CAD formats and PLM systems, ensuring that the Navy can replicate this solution and drive economies of scale with its investment."
For more information contact:
Razorleaf Government Solutions, LLC
1 Cascade Plaza, Suite 1420
Akron, OH 44308
330-208-2428
info@razorleafgov.com
www.razorleafgov.com