Concurrent Engineering at Boeing Helicopters

This paper details the concurrent engineering processes employed at Boeing Helicopters on the MH-47E and V-22 pilot production programs and planned activities for the LH prototype program. The processes involved include the development of concurrent engineering/manufacturing product definition and Boeing’s use of CATIA for electronic mockups and digital preassembly. Concurrent engineering is a systematic approach to creating a product definition that considers all elements of the product life cycle from conception through fabrication, and in so doing simultaneously defines the product, its manufacturing processes, and other required life-cycle support processes. CATIA (Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application) is a 3D/2D graphics system that is used to develop and maintain the concurrent engineering product definition. From the CATIA 3D solids database, all engineering, supportability, and manufacturing requirements including electronic mockup definitions (replacing Class II and Class III physical mockups) are developed and maintained. Digital preassembly is an automated method of checking for fit-andfunction errors within the CATIA data base to prevent engineering errors from reaching the factory floor. The paper examines not only the development of these processes, but also the cultural changes that are required to make these efforts successful. The expected results from implementing these concurrent engineering processes are schedule compaction, cost reduction, and increased employee and customer satisfaction. Concurrent engineering is a major development in support of Boeing’s corporate commitment to continuous quality improvement.