Duncan Aviation Shares Time-Saving Results from Data Automation Project

Duncan Aviation is sharing updates about the success of a project implementing digitalization and automation in its refurbishment processes.

As a way of pursuing innovation and increasing productivity, Duncan Aviation has implemented solutions from ARAS, including an end-to-end suite of options for help with PDL and ERP management.

The company’s ERP system allows customers to speak with the sales team, resulting in a quote that is automatically shared through Duncan Aviation’s customer portal online. Engineering and certification teams can then access the quote and use it to develop the full scope of the project that needs to be completed.

Using this method, and by setting up APIs (application program interfaces) that allow the systems to sync and pass information back and forth, Duncan Aviation has automated part of this process, making it easier to set up projects in the company’s Aras Innovator PLM.

By using it as a CAD authoring and digital-enterprise platform, Aras Innovator makes it easy for Duncan Aviation to complete tasks like:

• Product creation
• Document generation
• Tracking

Duncan Aviation’s Alterations Planning Team/ Certification Coordinator/ PDM Administrator Aaron Lane says, “The official work scope generated by our ERP system is the document that everyone in Duncan Aviation then uses.”

Lane continues “We take that information and translate it into engineering tasks. The departments meet around it and nail down the interrelated factors that arise from the choices made by the customer.

“For instance, a new monitor may be called for. But that might take a wiring diagram and a structural installation drawing,” adds Lane, “It might require a structural analysis report or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness for service purposes. One modification can generate multiple engineering assignments.”

Why automating the PDL makes a difference

During each project, the Project Data List (PDL) stores and organizes any documents or parts that come from project scoping and sales done in the ERP software. This ten creates a Master Data List (MDL) that makes up a project’s Technical Data Package (TDP), which is passed on to regulatory bodies and the customer. The MDL is typically comprised of:

• Plans
• Design data
• Analyses
• Reports

Duncan Aviation has historically created each PDL manually, which involves repeating the process of:

• Entering each part of the project by hand
• Answering question fields for each item
• Assigning identification numbers

The solution for automation here recommended by ARAS was Razorleaf, which offers solutions like:

• PLM implementation 
• CAD
• ERP
• Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

By working with Razorleaf, Duncan Aviation has been able to automate workflows using template pathways made by Razorleaf that “remember” project requirements and make data entry easier in the PDL. 

“We got the coding project going with Razorleaf and it went quickly,” says Lane, “They knew ARAS software and understood how to custom automate it for our specific purposes. Very impressive.”

Lane adds, “Today, 99 percent of our documents and drawings have templates. It’s where the engineers start off. The templates are found via the PDL generator tab. We have everything from CAD documents, made assessable there, to flammability test plans and reports, analyses, instructions, and meta-data, all generated now in timesaving batches.”

“In fact, time-savings wise, our productivity in managing the scope of projects has conservatively improved by 75%,” notes Lane.

Lane continues, “Plus, add to that, everyone at Duncan Aviation has speedy access to the project data. This includes procurement, production, quality, sales and management. The PDL is the source for everyone.”

How does Duncan Aviation plan to keep implementing automation?

Duncan Aviation also plans to use its new system from Razorleaf to increase digitalization and activate automation for more capabilities, such as:

• Change orders
• Engineering orders
• Engineering requests 

Duncan Aviation’s next automation phase focuses on reducing redundant system interactions and increasing real-time visibility across projects and aircraft. This aims to increase the efficiency of tasks like:

• Bill of Materials (BOM)
• Ease-of-procurement 
• Workload and time management

“We want to automate how the PDL within Aras Innovator interacts with our separate ERP software, and basically reduce human involvement, when appropriate” shares Lane, “This extends to workflow management. The workflows by themselves have greatly enhanced our work environment. That’s on our side of things.”

“On the other side, the aircraft industry as a whole generates a tremendous amount of paper for worldwide regulatory agencies,” he notes.

Lane adds, “It’s a long-term goal of ours to get Aras Innovator configured enough to convince the FAA that they don’t need paper copies from us. Digitization and automation will help everyone.”