DCR chooses SIMPLE++

Citation

(2000), "DCR chooses SIMPLE++", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 72 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2000.12772aab.011

DCR chooses SIMPLE++

Keywords Dynamics Research Corporation, Tecnomatix, Software, Decision support systems

Dynamics Research Corporation (DRC) is a $200 million company headquarters in Andover, MA with 20 major facilities located throughout the USA. The company applies information systems and manufacturing technologies to create solutions for its customers, thereby enhancing the performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of complex systems. The company's systems and test equipment divisions develop and operate computer- and communications-intensive information systems, as well as provide an array of engineering and management support services.

DRC's systems engineering group provides its customers with support that starts with requirements analysis, proceeds to functional analysis, and continues through system design. In executing these three phases of systems engineering, DRC conducts systems analyses, including trade studies, cost-effectiveness analysis, risk assessments, performance analysis, error analysis, and manpower assessments.

DRC's systems engineering experience is applied to many types of systems, such as navigation, guidance, control, communications, computer identification, logistics, training, and distributed interactive simulation systems.

SIMPLE++ was selected because it provides DRC with a powerful and flexible environment for the implementation of simulation-based decision support systems, whose scope may go way beyond typical simulation applications.

DRC realised that the key to the necessary flexibility, user productivity and integration capabilities lies in the object-oriented nature of SIMPLE++. MD Schneider at the Aberdeen Proving Ground at the Army Research Lab in Aberdeen, has been using the Digital Factory modelling and simulation technology for more than two years for a wide range of government clients, including the Department of Defence. He says:

Tecnomatix and its SIMPLE++ product offers us a powerful engineering solution. Without SIMPLE++, many of our simulation and modelling projects would be impossible.

Schneider has several examples of how the digital factory is being used for the benefit of DRC's customers. For example, Schneider is using SIMPLE++ to simulate and model a new tactical operations centre as well as command-and-control vehicles for the army. In addition, Schneider's group is simulating how information is processed by soldiers in a battle situation and how they react to different situations and levels of stress and stimuli within a wartime or other stressful environment.

DRC has recently started a project using SIMPLE++ to model seven industrial shops at the Ogden Air Logistics Center in Ogden, UT. Also, at the San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Schneider says that DRC is using SIMPLE++ to model and forecast new jet engine technology.

He says:

We are currently modelling the landing gear repair-and-overhaul facility in Ogden for the US Air Force ... We are doing various models of the landing gear project with SIMPLE++ and we will also be working on gas turbine engine manufacturing and overhaul, as well as the hydraulics.

SIMPLE++ lends itself to two different modes of operation, says Schneider. As an analytical tool, SIMPLE++ can do what-if excursions on a manufacturing floor that may include a surge in workload or lack of parts delivery at a given point at a given time. This kind of analysis provides a visualisation of bottlenecks in the manufacturing process.

In the second type of operation SIMPLE++ can be interjected into an actual control situation, where it can control the manufacturing floor with real shopfloor data. Schneider adds:

You can do finite capacity planning and scheduling and you can connect the system to the MRP or MRO system that is running the facility and have it communicate back and forth ... SIMPLE++ can actually simulate real online schedules and shop orders.

In the case of the Ogden facility, the package provided several experimental models that determined which machines should be grouped together, what processes need to be changed, and so on, in order to return a certain figure on this investment. It also provided a tool as a capacity planner to handle extra workload and handle additional capacity. Schneider explains:

The software was able to model the surge workload that was going to occur given a certain number of circumstances in producing landing gear, hydraulics and gas turbine engines.

Details available from: Tecnomatix Technologies (Tel: +44 (0)121 323 1300; Fax: +44 (0)121 323 1333); or Tecnomatix Technologies SA: (Tel: +33 1 3458 2424; Fax: + 33 1 3458 2442). Web site: www.tecnomatix.com