The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. Photo is courtesy of ESA/ESTEC
BuildIT® - Building Satellites
Better, Faster, and More Economically
BuildIT® is an information management system for Satellite Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT/SIT). BuildIT® can be applied to any low-volume production where very high quality is required.
This system was developed by a team of mechanical, electrical, and quality AIT engineers performing AIT in the European Aerospace Industry. For industry feedback, please see the scrolling information near the bottom of this page.
https://youtu.be/om7JW34a6bM
How to Keep Production On-track in the Aerospace Industry
The production, assembly, integration & test (AIT) of satellites and other space hardware often relies on systems like ERP, SAP, & MOM to manage the projects. But those systems are all based on Project Management Technology, and project management is very much a "monitoring" technology, and not a "controlling" technology. So you can see (monitor) the project going off-track, but don't have the control to prevent it. This results in project slippages, cost overruns, etc.
As an experienced Aerospace Consultant, Greg Knight breaks down the core problem, and explains how the new technology returns production control to the mechanical, electrical & test engineers, yielding substantial savings & keeping AIT on-track.
To learn more about BuildIT®, please get in touch via the "Contact" page.
The BuildIT® System - Addressing the Needs of Low Volume, High Quality Production
"Whenever we want to do something, the first step is to bypass SAP."
High Volume Production
In a high-volume manufacturing/production company, producing (say) vehicle wiper motors. The main cost saving is in balancing the inventory against the orders, so that production can be kept at a steady, efficient, level, and orders met without stockpiling inventory. So methodologies like MOM, MES, ERP & SAP are the right fit.
Low Volume, High Technology, Assembly Integration and Test
However, for low-volume production (like satellites, aircraft, etc.), building the product can be a 3 to 9+ month task, requiring thousands of hours of labor by highly skilled engineers & technicians. The main cost saving here is not in finely balancing inventory, but in helping the engineers to work efficiently. So, technologies like SAP, MOM, MES, etc. don't address the core problem. A new technology - Build Intelligence Technology™ is the only fit.
Build Intelligence Technology™- BuildIT®
Build Intelligence Technology™ provides a completely different approach. Knowing that the "Make Product" area is the key opportunity for efficiency and cost saving, it focuses on that area, optimizing the production, assembly, integration & test processes. It specifically helps the mechanical, electrical & test engineers to do their jobs more efficiently.
BuildIT® is the name of the product that is based on Build Intelligence Technology™.
BuildIT® looks across the entire Production Domain™ e.g. at "everything" involved in the production and test process, and using custom algorithms, intelligently combines that information to offer the users Advanced Decision Support. This means that the assembly integration & test engineers always have all the information at their fingertips to make the best decisions for moving forwards.
SAP, ERP, etc., may still play a role in materials flow, etc., but the cost saving comes mainly from optimizing the manual build operations.
BuildIT® is very well suited to the needs of the European Space Industry.
AIT Specialist, European Space Agency
BuildIT® is much needed. There are too many gaps between what really happens, and what the existing systems cover
VP Manufacturing Research, Gartner
The manpower cost savings are significant, but there is also a major benefit in the prevention-of-loss aspects.
Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) Manager, Airbus Space
BuildIT® provides a much more robust technology for managing complex manufacturing.
The advanced decision support of BuildIT® is where the real value comes.
VP Manufacturing Research, Gartner
BuildIT® addresses the needs of non-fast moving [low volume] manufacturing. No other system does that.
Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) Manager, Airbus Space
In spite of the bells and whistles, MES & ERP tools cannot handle what BuildIT® handles.
VP Manufacturing Research, Gartner
BuildIT® handles problems that were not predicted, and fills the gaps between different Management systems and manual operations to provide a much better management process.
Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) Manager, Airbus Space
Learn More About BuildIT®
To learn more about how BuildIT® an help your company produce Satellites Better, Faster, and More Economically, please get in touch via the "Contact" page.