Dassault Systèmes developed its 3DEXPERIENCE platform to provide collaborative software solutions that enable businesses to create consumer experiences across the entire organization and product lifecycle. Through its Digilab, ALTEN supports Airbus with 3DEXPERIENCE integration. Read on to learn more about ALTEN’s role in this transformative project.
Airbus is currently implementing the 3DEXPERIENCE platform across all of its Business Units: Airbus Civil, Airbus Defence & Space, and Airbus Helicopters. The company’s objective is to bring all BUs together around a single set of data.
3DEXPERIENCE covers everything from requirements management through to product delivery. It can be used to manage engineering, scale-up, logistics, and supply chain— the entire product lifecycle.
For Airbus, the challenge is to streamline the platform so that it is tailored to the company’s needs.
The project began two years ago. The approach is end-to-end: the idea is to implement tools across the entire digital value chain, both outside the company and in-house, where the DDMS (Digital Design Manufacturing & Services) initiative will move Airbus to total digital transformation. Airbus is seeking the end-to-end digital continuity 3DEXPERIENCE can offer.
ALTEN is a stakeholder in the expanded rollout of 3DEXPERIENCE at Airbus
Like the ALTEN Digilab Big Data team, the Digilab PLM team was set up for three 3DEXPERIENCE activities. The first focuses on adoption and incubation. In other words, the PLM team is exploring the solution and developing demonstrators based on its knowledge of Airbus’ business lines. These activities are upstream from the customer and the projects we run for the customer. Then, once we have a full understanding of the solution, Digilab is handling the pre-sales process with Airbus project managers. Finally, Digilab works with Dassault Systèmes through an effective partnership that enables us to share knowledge on Dassault Systèmes’ strategy and our experience with the solution to deliver back-office support for our projects and assist our project teams.
A total of 20 Digilab staff members are assigned to research and innovation; 130 have been sent to Airbus, working with Airbus’ people to implement the solution.
This second cohort has two jobs. The first is to ramp up the solution for the “single aisle” aircraft family (the A318, A319, A320, and A321 narrow-bodied aircraft); the second is to find ways to make the new product development process faster. We are also playing a major role in DDMS, Airbus’ transformation program. More generally, we are a stakeholder in the expanded rollout of 3DEXPERIENCE at Airbus.
Part of the project is outsourced nearshore in Romania, and offshore in India, where they have a true PLM culture. As an example, the paper drawings of the Airbus A320 were digitized in Romania so that the 3D models could be generated.
Opportunities for engineers
3DEXPERIENCE addresses a wide variety of disciplines that includes quality, requirements, 3D design, numerical simulation, industrial scale-up, electronics, and robotics. This creates opportunities for a broad range of engineers with different backgrounds. One of Digilab’s missions is to serve as a “skills incubator.” So, when it opened, we also set up ALTEN’s e-learning platform, the ALTEN Training Center, with advanced course materials. This innovative initiative, which concerns a large number of engineers, positions us to deliver the talents Airbus needs.
Find out more about ALTEN’s major projects
in the ALTEN Mag Aeronautics, Space & Defense Special.
