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Case study Company name: Airbus UK
A leading aircraft manufacturer in the U.K. saves €18 million and reduces its development lead time by 36 percent when IBM Global Business Services helps transform the way the company approached the A380 program, through concurrent engineering and collaborative working solutions as well as a grid computing environment. |
Business need One of the most complex parts of the Airbus A380 aircraft is the wing assembly, an element for which Airbus UK had the design and manufacturing responsibility. The company realized early on that new processes would be needed to achieve the timescales called for. It also realized that it needed to radically transform its approach when building the A380, and saw value in bringing in an objective external consultancy to help define and implement new ways of working - both internally and externally, with suppliers. |
Solution Initiatives from IBM Global Business Services helped Airbus UK drive cost out of design and manufacture, improve collaborative working, and transformed the way it works with its many subcontractors and suppliers. A key success factor was educating several hundred people from both Airbus UK, and its many subcontractors. IBM consultants introduced Airbus to the concept of GRID computing, which pools unutilized processing capacity, to support 3D modeling of A380 components and “clash condition” analysis. |
Results As a result of the IBM Global Business Services solution, Airbus UK realized tangible benefits, including: - Improvements in concurrent engineering reduced lead time on the wing by 36 percent, or 41 weeks, helping Airbus UK meet the project deadline
- Improved collaboration with suppliers and subcontractors eliminated data re-entry, saving €18million
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Customer testimonial “We value the partnership with IBM for its objectivity and willingness to challenge our thinking. They are an enormous think tank we can draw on,” Iain Gray, Managing Director of Airbus UK. |
Customer information | Airbus UK | | Founded in 1970, Airbus U.K. is one of the world's leading aircraft manufacturers. The company's product line comprises 14 aircraft models, from the 100-seat single-aisle A318 jetliner to the 555-seat A380, which is the largest civilian airliner ever built. The company employs 55,000 people and had revenue of approximately €22.3 billion in 2005. Airbus U.K. also recently expanded into the military transport aircraft sector. |
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