"Managing a technically complex product mix like the Head-Up Guidance system, within the Rockwell Collins corporate supply chain and our own internal operations including manufacturing, presents many difficult problems. FlexGen 4 is a highly adaptive ERP/ SCM software solution capable of meeting our demanding business objectives - not an easy task." - Rony Fintzy, Supply Chain Director

Flight Dynamics

Company:

In the demanding field of avionics, Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics is one of the industry's technology leaders. Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics has been pioneering the design and production of Head-Up Guidance (HGS) navigation for more than 20 years. The HGS provides enhanced awareness and energy management in all flight conditions for government and commercial airline pilots. It is designed to give pilots mission-critical flight data in a forward looking field of view, eliminating the dangerous transition from head-down to head-up flight operations. Because of Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics' technology, it is possible for a pilot to transition from flight approach to a precise landing in all conditions including turbulence, crosswinds and black hole approaches.

Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics is based in Portland, Oregon. Customers include Alaska Airlines, Delta, Fed Ex, Lufthansa and the US military.

Challenge:

"Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics faces the never ending challenge of managing its complex products, in a highly regulated and controlled environment. All phases of the product design and engineering process must meet the most stringent control and reporting requirements. And each component and process change must be reviewed and approved by multiple corporate entities and a government regulatory agency, the FAA," said Rony Fintzy, Supply Chain Director for Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics. "From the supply chain through to production control, we must meet rigid product, as well as process specifications. These include historical tracking of materials, quality, inspections and serial numbers for any component entering the finished HGS product."

Management and compliance represented a daunting challenge for Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics as they continued to innovate and pioneer cutting edge technology in the most demanding industry of all - avionics.

Solution:

Implemented and configured the FlexGen 4 ERP/SCM adaptive enterprise solution with a focus on Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Quality Assurance and Configuration Management applications. A collaborative effort was conducted to map all the Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics mandated practices and methods to assure that its products meet or exceed the highest standards set for quality, reliability and government compliance.

Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics also implemented the FlexGen 4 -Customer Service module to facilitate the periodic service and upgrade process for each HGS in flight. HGS upgrades include hardware, software and sophisticated display technologies each maintained to the highest industry standards.

Results:

	Supply chain performance delivers 100% on strategic parts and services, based on quality, specification and delivery.
	Rockwell Collins - Flight Dynamics achieves consistent corporate approval and FAA oversight review and approval to continue its very successful business operations.
	FlexGen 4 exports critical supply chain metrics to support Rockwell Collins' worldwide installation of SAP.